THE,    WHEEL 
O  '  F  O  FCT  U  N  E 


By  LOUIS    T  RACY 


THE  WHEEL  O'  FORTUNE 


OF  CALIF.  LIBRARY.  LOS  ANGELES 


1  By  the  Prophet! "  he  exclaimed,  "  I  am  overjoyed  at  seeing  you  " 

Frontispiece 


The 

Wheel  o'  Fortune 


BY 
LOUIS    TRACY 

Author  of  "  The  Wings  of  the  Morning"  "  TAe  P»7/ar  of  Light,' 
"  The  Captain  of  the  Kansas,"  etc. 


ILLUSTRATIONS  BY  JAMES  MONTGOMERY  FLAGG 


New  York 

Edward  J.  Clode 

Publisher 


COPYRIGHT,    1907 
By   EDWARD    J.  CLODE 


Entered  at  Stationers'"  Hall 


The  Plimpton  Press  Norwood  Mass.  U.S.A. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER   I  PAGE 

WHEREIN  FORTUNE  TURNS  HER  WHEEL     ......        1 

CHAPTER   II 

THE  COMPACT     . 18 

CHAPTER   HI 

A  CHANGE  OF  SKY,  BUT  NOT  OF  HABIT 37 

CHAPTER   IV 

VON  KERBER  EXPLAINS 58 

CHAPTER   V 

Miss  FENSHAWE  SEEKS  AN  ALLY 76 

CHAPTER  VI 

AT  THE  PORTAL 95 

CHAPTER  VII 

MRS.  HAXTON  RECEIVES  A  SHOCK 116 

CHAPTER  VHI 

MASSOWAH  ASSERTS  ITSELF 134 

CHAPTER   IX 

A  GALLOP  IN  THE  DARK 152 

CHAPTER  X 

THE  CALM  BEFORE  THE  STORM    ....          ....     170 

V 


Contents 

CHAPTER    XI  PAGE 

A  WOMAN  INTERVENES       „ 187 

CHAPTER   XII 

STUMP  DEPENDS  ON  OBSERVATION 206 

CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  SIGN  IN  THE  SKY 224 

CHAPTER   XIV 

WHEREIN  A  BISHARIN  CAMEL  BECOMES  USEFUL    ....     243 

CHAPTER   XV 

THE  DESERT  AWAKES 262 

CHAPTER  XVI 

A  FLIGHT  —  AND  A  FIGHT 284 

CHAPTER   XVII 

How  THREE  ROADS  LED  IN  ONE  DIRECTION 306 

CHAPTER   XVIII 

THE  FINDING  OF  THE  TREASURE      ....  328 


VI 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

"By  the  Prophet!"  he  exclaimed,  "I  am  overjoyed  at  seeing 

you" Frontispiece 

"  I  don't  want  your  charity,  I  want  work ! " 12 

"Let  your  prisoner  go,  Mr.  King" 57 

"  Good  morning,  Mr.  King,"  she  cried 72 

"  You  need  no  promise  from  me,  Miss  Fenshawe  "...  93 

The  Arab  appraised  Royson  with  critical  eye 115 

He  did  not  dare  meet  the  glance  suddenly  turned  upon  him  211 

"  Go,  Dick,  but  come  back  to  me  in  safety  " 269 

"You  dare  to  tell  this  to  me?"  she  said 290 

He  fired  both  barrels  into  their  midst  302 


Vll 


The  Wheel  o*  Fortune 


CHAPTER  I 

WHEREIN   FORTUNE  TURNS    HER  WHEEL 

AT  ten  o'clock  on  a  morning  in  October  —  a 
dazzling,  sunlit  morning  after  hours  of  wind- 
lashed  rain  —  a  young  man  hurried  out  of  Victoria 
Station  and  dodged  the  traffic  and  the  mud-pools  on 
his  way  towards  Victoria  Street.  Suddenly  he  was 
brought  to  a  stand  by  an  unusual  spectacle.  A 
procession  of  the  "unemployed"  was  sauntering  out 
of  Vauxhall  Bridge  Road  into  the  more  important 
street.  Being  men  of  leisure,  the  processionists  moved 
slowly.  The  more  alert  pedestrian  who  had  just 
emerged  from  the  station  did  not  grumble  at  the  delay 
—  he  even  turned  it  to  advantage  by  rolling  and 
lighting  a  cigarette.  The  ragged  regiment  filed  past, 
a  soiled,  frayed,  hopeless-looking  gang.  Three  hun- 
dred men  had  gathered  on  the  south  side  of  the  river, 
and  were  marching  to  join  other  contingents  on  the 
Thames  Embankment,  whence  some  thousands  of 
them  would  be  shepherded  by  policemen  up  North- 
umberland Avenue,  across  Trafalgar  Square,  and  so, 
by  way  of  Lower  Regent  Street  and  Piccadilly,  to 
Hyde  Park,  where  they  would  hoarsely  cheer  every 

1 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

demagogue   who   blamed   the    Government   for   their 
miseries. 

London,  like  Richard  Royson,  would  stand  on  the 
pavement  and  watch  them.  Like  him,  it  would  drop 
a  few  coins  into  the  collecting  boxes  rattled  under  its 
nose,  and  grin  at  the  absurd  figure  cut  by  a  very  fat 
man  who  waddled  notably  among  his  leaner  brethren, 
for  hunger  and  substance  are  not  often  found  so 
strangely  allied.  But,  having  salved  its  conscience  by 
giving,  and  gratified  its  sarcastic  humor  by  laughing, 
London  took  thought,  perhaps,  when  it  read  the  strange 
device  on  the  banner  carried  by  this  Vauxhall  con- 
tingent. "  Curse  your  charity  —  we  want  work,"  said 
the  white  letters,  staring  threateningly  out  of  a  wide 
strip  of  red  cotton.  There  was  a  brutal  force  in  the 
phrase.  It  was  Socialism  in  a  tabloid.  Many  a 
looker-on,  whose  lot  was  nigh  as  desperate  as  that  of 
the  demonstrators,  felt  that  it  struck  him  between  the 
eyes. 

It  had  some  such  effect  on  Royson.  Rather  abruptly 
he  turned  away,  and  reached  the  less  crowded  Buck- 
ingham Palace  Road.  His  face  was  darkened  by  a 
frown,  though  his  blue  eyes  had  a  glint  of  humor  in 
them.  The  legend  on  the  banner  had  annoyed  him. 
Its  blatant  message  had  penetrated  the  armor  of 
youth,  high  spirits,  and  abounding  good  health.  It 
expressed  his  own  case  with  a  crude  vigor.  The  "un- 
employed" genius  who  railed  at  society  in  that  virile 
line  must  have  felt  as  he,  Dick  Royson,  had  begun  to 
feel  during  the  past  fortnight,  and  the  knowledge  that 

2 


Wherein  Fortune  turns  her  Wheel 

this  was  so  was  exceedingly  distasteful.  It  was  mon- 
strous that  he  should  rate  himself  on  a  par  with  those 
slouching  wastrels.  The  mere  notion  brought  its  own 
confutation.  Twenty-four  years  of  age,  well  educated, 
a  gentleman  by  birth  and  breeding,  an  athlete  who 
stood  six  feet  two  inches  high  in  his  stockings,  the  gulf 
was  wide,  indeed,  between  him  and  the  charity-cursers 
who  had  taken  his  money.  Yet — the  words  stuck.  .  .  . 
Evidently,  he  was  fated  to  be  a  sight-seer  that 
morning.  When  he  entered  Buckingham  Palace  Road, 
the  strains  of  martial  music  banished  the  gaunt  specter 
called  into  being  by  the  red  cotton  banner.  A  police- 
man, more  cheerful  and  spry  than  his  comrades  who 
marshaled  the  procession  shuffling  towards  West- 
minster, strode  to  the  center  of  the  busy  crossing,  and 
cast  an  alert  eye  on  the  converging  lines  of  traffic. 
Another  section  of  the  ever-ready  London  crowd  lined 
up  on  the  curb.  Nursemaids,  bound  for  the  parks, 
wheeled  their  perambulators  into  strategic  positions, 
thus  commanding  a  clear  view  and  blocking  the  edge 
of  the  pavement.  Drivers  of  omnibuses,  without 
waiting  for  the  lifted  hand  of  authority,  halted  in 
Lower  Grosvenor  Gardens  and  Victoria  Street.  Cabs 
going  to  the  station,  presumably  carrying  fares  to 
whom  time  meant  lost  trains,  spurted  to  cross  a  road 
which  would  soon  be  barred.  And  small  boys  gathered 
from  all  quarters  in  amazing  profusion.  In  a  word, 
the  Coldstream  Guards  were  coming  from  Chelsea 
Barracks  to  do  duty  at  St.  James's,  coming,  too,  in  the 
approved  manner  of  the  Guards,  with  lively  drumming 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

and  clash  of  cymbals,  while  brass  and  reeds  sang 
some  jaunty  melody  of  the  hour. 

The  passing  of  a  regimental  band  has  whisked 
many  a  youngster  out  of  staid  Britain  into  the  far 
lands.  The  lilt  and  swing  of  soldiers  on  the  march 
have  a  glamour  all  the  more  profound  because  it  is 
evanescent.  That  man  must  indeed  be  careworn  who 
would  resist  it.  Certainly,  the  broad-shouldered  young 
giant  who  had  been  momentarily  troubled  by  the 
white-red  ghost  of  poverty  was  not  so  minded.  He 
could  see  easily  over  the  heads  of  the  people  standing 
on  the  edge  of  the  pavement,  so  he  did  not  press  to 
the  front  among  the  rabble,  but  stood  apart,  with  his 
back  against  a  shop  window.  Thus,  he  was  free  to 
move  to  right  or  left  as  he  chose.  That  was  a  slight 
thing  in  itself,  an  unconscious  trick  of  aloofness  — 
perhaps  an  inherited  trait  of  occupying  his  own  terri- 
tory, so  to  speak.  But  it  is  these  slight  things  which 
reveal  character.  They  oft-times  influence  human 
lives,  too;  and  no  man  ever  extricated  himself  more 
promptly  from  the  humdrum  of  moneyless  existence 
in  London  than  did  Richard  Royson  that  day  by  plac- 
ing the  width  of  the  sidewalk  between  himself  and  the 
unbroken  row  of  spectators.  Of  course,  he  knew 
nothing  of  that  at  the  moment.  His  objective  was  an 
appointment  at  eleven  o'clock  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Charing  Cross,  and,  now  that  he  was  given  the  excuse, 
he  meant  to  march  along  the  Mall  behind  the  Guards. 
Meanwhile,  he  watched  their  advance. 

Above  the  tall  bearskins  and  glittering  bayonets  he 
4 


Wherein  Fortune  turns  her  Wheel     . 

caught  the  flourish  of  energetic  drumsticks.  The  big 
drum  gave  forth  its  clamor  with  window-shaking  insist- 
ence; it  seemed  to  be  the  summons  of  power  that  all 
else  should  stand  aside.  On  they  came,  these  spruce 
Guards,  each  man  a  marching  machine,  trained  to 
strut  and  pose  exactly  as  his  fellows.  There  was  a 
sense  of  omnipotence  in  their  rhythmic  movement. 
And  they  all  had  the  grand  manner  —  from  the  elegant 
captain  in  command  down  to  the  smallest  drummer- 
boy.  Although  the  sun  was  shining  brightly  now,  the 
earlier  rain  and  hint  of  winter  in  the  air  had  clothed 
all  ranks  in  dark  gray  great-coats  and  brown  leggings. 
Hence,  to  the  untrained  glance,  they  were  singularly 
alike.  Officers,  sergeants,  privates  and  bandsmen 
might  have  been  cast  in  molds,  after  the  style  of  toy 
soldiers.  There  were  exceptions,  of  course,  just  as 
the  fat  man  achieved  distinction  among  the  unemployed. 
The  crimson  sashes  of  the  officers,  the  drum-major, 
with  his  twirling  staff,  the  white  apron  of  the  big 
drummer,  drew  the  eye.  A  slim  subaltern,  carrying 
the  regimental  color,  held  pride  of  place  in  the  picture. 
The  rich  hues  of  the  silk  lent  a  barbaric  splendor  to 
his  sober  trappings.  And  he  took  himself  seriously. 
A  good-looking  lad,  with  smooth  contours  not  yet 
hardened  to  the  military  type,  his  face  had  in  it  a  set 
gravity  which  proclaimed  that  he  would  bear  that 
flag  whithersoever  his  country's  need  demanded.  And 
it  was  good  to  see  him  so  intent  on  the  mere  charge 
of  it  in  transit  between  Chelsea  Barracks  and  the 
Guard-room  at  St.  James's  Palace.  That  argued 

5 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

earnestness,  an  excellent  thing,  even  in  the  Household 
Brigade. 

Royson  was  amusing  himself  with  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  two  types  of  banner-bearers  he  had  gazed  at 
in  the  short  space  of  five  minutes  —  he  was  specially 
tickled  by  the  fact  that  the  Guards,  also,  were  under 
police  protection  —  when  he  became  aware  that  the 
features  of  the  color-lieutenant  were  familiar  to  him. 
A  man  in  uniform,  with  forehead  and  chin  partly 
hidden  by  warlike  gear,  cannot  be  recognized  easily, 
if  there  be  any  initial  doubt  as  to  his  identity.  To 
determine  the  matter,  Royson,  instead  of  following  in 
the  rear  as  he  had  intended,  stepped  out  briskly  and 
placed  himself  somewhat  ahead  of  the  officer.  He 
was  near  the  drums  before  he  could  make  sure  that 
he  was  actually  within  a  few  yards  of  a  former  class- 
mate. The  knowledge  brought  a  rush  of  blood  to 
his  face.  Though  glad  enough  to  see  unexpectedly 
one  who  had  been  a  school  friend,  it  was  not  in 
human  nature  that  the  marked  difference  between 
their  present  social  positions  should  not  be  bitter  to 
him.  Here  was  "  Jack "  marching  down  the  middle 
of  the  road  in  the  panoply  of  the  Guards,  while 
"  Dick,"  his  superior  during  six  long  years  at  Rugby, 
was  hurrying  along  the  pavement,  perhaps  nearing 
the  brink  of  that  gulf  already  reached  by  the  Vaux- 
hall  processionists. 

So  Dick  Royson's  placid  temper  was  again  ruffled, 
and  he  might  have  said  nasty  things  about  Fate  had 
not  that  erratic  dame  suddenly  thought  fit  to  alter  his 

6 


Wherein  Fortune  turns  her  Wheel 

fortunes.  As  the  street  narrowed  between  lofty  build- 
ings, so  did  the  blaring  thunder  of  the  music  increase. 
The  mob  closed  in  on  the  soldiers'  heels;  the  whole 
roadway  was  packed  with  moving  men.  A  somber 
flood  of  humanity  —  topped  by  the  drumsticks,  the 
flag,  the  glistening  bayonets  and  the  bearskins  —  it 
seemingly  engulfed  all  else  in  its  path.  The  sparkle 
of  the  band,  intensified  by  the  quick,  measured  tramp 
of  the  soldiers,  aroused  a  furtive  enthusiasm.  Old 
men,  bearded  and  bent,  men  whom  one  would  never 
suspect  of  having  borne  arms,  straightened  themselves, 
stood  to  attention,  and  saluted  the  swaying  flag.  Cal- 
low youths,  hooligans,  round-shouldered  slouchers  at 
the  best,  made  shift  to  lift  their  heads  and  keep  step. 
And  the  torrent  caught  the  human  flotsam  of  the 
pavement  in  its  onward  swirl.  If  Royson  had  not 
utilized  that  clear  space  lower  down  the  street,  it  would 
have  demanded  the  exercise  of  sheer  force  to  reach 
the  van  of  the  dense  gathering  of  nondescripts  now 
following  the  drum. 

Nevertheless,  a  clearance  was  made,  and  speedily, 
with  the  startling  suddenness  of  a  summer  whirlwind. 
A  pair  of  horses,  attached  to  an  open  carriage,  were 
drawn  up  in  a  by-street  until  the  Guards  had  passed. 
So  far  as  Royson  was  concerned,  they  were  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  road,  with  their  heads  towards 
him.  But  he  happened  to  be  looking  that  way,  be- 
cause his  old-time  companion,  the  Hon.  John  Paton 
Seymour,  was  in  the  direct  line  of  sight,  and  his  unusual 
stature  enabled  him  to  see  that  both  horses  reared 

7 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

simultaneously.  They  took  the  coachman  by  surprise, 
and  their  downward  plunge  dragged  him  headlong 
from  the  box.  Instantly  there  was  a  panic  among  the 
mob.  It  melted  away  from  the  clatter  of  frenzied 
hoofs  as  though  a  live  shell  had  burst  in  the  locality. 
Two  staccato  syllables  from  the  officer  in  command 
stopped  the  music  and  brought  the  Guards  to  a  halt. 
The  horses  dashed  madly  forward,  barely  missing  the 
color  and  its  escort.  A  ready-witted  sergeant  grabbed 
at  the  loose  reins  flapping  in  the  air,  but  they  eluded 
him  with  a  snake-like  twist.  The  next  wild  leap 
brought  the  carriage  pole  against  a  lamp-post,  and 
both  were  broken.  Then  one  of  the  animals  stumbled, 
half  turned,  backed,  and  locked  the  front  wheels.  A 
lady,  the  sole  occupant,  was  discarding  some  heavy 
wraps  which  impeded  her  movements,  evidently  mean- 
ing to  spring  into  the  road,  but  she  was  given  no  time. 
The  near  hind  wheel  was  already  off  the  ground.  In 
another  second  the  carriage  must  be  overturned,  had 
not  Royson,  brought  by  chance  to  the  right  place, 
seized  the  off  wheel  and  the  back  of  the  hood,  and 
bodily  lifted  the  rear  part  of  the  victoria  into  momen- 
tary safety.  It  was  a  fine  display  of  physical  strength 
and  quick  judgment.  He  literally  threw  the  vehicle 
a  distance  of  several  feet.  But  that  was  not  all.  He 
saw  his  opportunity,  caught  the  reins,  and  took  such 
a  pull  at  the  terrified  horses  that  a  policeman  and  a 
soldier  were  able  to  get  hold  of  their  heads.  The 
coachman,  who  had  fallen  clear,  now  ran  up.  With 
him  came  a  gentleman  in  a  fur  coat.  Royson  was 

8 


Wherein  Fortune  turns  her  Wheel 

about  to  turn  and  find  out  what  had  become  of  the 
lady,  when  some  one  said  quietly: 

"Well  saved,  King  Dick!" 

It  was  the  Hon.  John  Seymour  who  spoke.  Rigid 
as  a  statue,  and  almost  as  helpless,  he  was  standing  in 
the  middle  of  the  road,  with  his  left  hand  holding  the 
flag  and  a  drawn  sword  in  his  right.  Yet  a  school 
nickname  bridged  five  years  so  rapidly  that  the  man 
who  had  just  been  reviling  Fate  smiled  at  the  pictur- 
esque officer  of  the  Guards  in  the  old,  tolerant  way, 
the  way  in  which  the  hero  of  the  eleven  or  fifteen 
permits  his  worshipers  to  applaud. 

But  this  mutual  recognition  went  no  further.  The 
Guards  must  on  to  St.  James's.  Some  incomprehen- 
sible growls  set  them  in  motion  again,  the  drum  banged 
with  new  zest,  and  the  street  gradually  emptied,  leaving 
only  a  few  curious  gapers  to  surround  the  damaged 
victoria  and  the  trembling  horses.  The  fresh  outburst 
of  music  brought  renewed  prancing,  but  the  pair  were 
in  hand  now,  for  Royson  held  the  reins,  and  the  mud- 
bedaubed  coachman  was  ready  to  twist  their  heads  off 
in  his  wrath. 

"Don't  know  what  took  'em,"  he  was  gasping  to 
the  policeman.  "Never  knew  'em  be'ave  like  this 
afore.  Quiet  as  sheep,  they  are,  as  a  ryule." 

"Too  fat,"  explained  the  unemotional  constable. 
"  Give  'em  more  work  an'  less  corn.  Wot's  your  name 
an'  address  ?  There's  this  'ere  lamp-post  to  pay  for. 
Cavalry  charges  in  Buckingham  Palace  Road  cost  a 
bit." 

9 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

An  appreciative  audience  grinned  at  the  official 
humor.  But  Royson  was  listening  to  the  somewhat 
lively  conversation  taking  place  behind  him. 

"  Are  you  injured  in  any  way  ?  "  cried  the  gentleman 
in  the  fur  coat,  obviously  addressing  the  lady  in  the 
victoria.  The  too  accurate  cadence  in  his  words  be- 
spoke the  foreigner,  the  man  who  has  what  is  called 
"a  perfect  command"  of  English. 

"Not  in  the  least,  thank  you,"  was  the  answer. 
The  voice  was  clear,  musical,  well-bred,  and  decidedly 
chilling.  The  two  concluding  words  really  meant  "  no 
thanks  to  you."  The  lady  was,  however,  quite  self- 
possessed,  and,  as  a  consequence,  polite. 

"But  why  in  the  world  did  you  not  jump  out  when 
I  shouted  to  you  ?  "  demanded  the  man. 

"Because  you  threw  your  half  of  the  rug  over  my 
feet,  and  thus  hindered  me." 

"  Did  I  ?  Ach,  Gott  !  Do  you  think  I  deserted  you, 
then?" 

"No,  no.  I  did  not  mean  that,  Baron  von  Kerber. 
The  affair  was  an  accident,  and  you  naturally  thought 
I  would  follow  your  example.  I  did  try,  twice,  to 
spring  clear,  but  I  lost  my  balance  each  time.  We 
have  no  cause  to  blame  one  another.  My  view  is  that 
Spong  was  caught  napping.  Instead  of  arguing  about 
things  we  might  have  done,  we  really  ought  to  thank 
this  gentleman,  who  prevented  any  further  develop- 
ments in  some  wonderful  way  not  quite  known  to  me 

yet." 

The  lady  was  talking  herself  into  less  caustic  mood. 
10 


Wherein  Fortune  turns  her  Wheel 

Perhaps  she  had  not  expected  the  Baron  to  shine  in 
an  emergency.  Her  calmness  seemed  to  irritate  him, 
though  he  was  most  anxious  to  put  himself  right  with 
her. 

"My  object  in  jumping  out  so  quickly  was  to  run 
to  the  horses'  heads,"  he  said.  "Unfortunately,  I 
tripped  and  nearly  fell.  But  why  sit  there  ?  We  must 
take  a  hansom.  Or  perhaps  you  would  prefer  to  go 
by  train  ?  " 

"  Oh,  a  cab,  by  all  means." 

The  horses  were  now  standing  so  quietly  that  Royson 
handed  the  reins  to  the  coachman,  who  was  examining 
the  traces.  Then  he  was  able  to  turn  and  look  at  the 
lady.  He  saw  that  she  was  young  and  pretty,  but 
the  heavy  furs  she  wore  half  concealed  her  face,  and 
the  fact  that  his  own  garments  were  frayed,  while  his 
hands  and  overcoat  were  plastered  with  mud  off  the 
wheels,  did  not  help  to  dissipate  a  certain  embarrass- 
ment that  gripped  him,  for  he  was  a  shy  man  where 
women  were  concerned.  She,  too,  faltered  a  little, 
and  the  reason  was  made  plain  by  her  words. 

"I  do  not  know  how  to  thank  you,"  she  said,  and 
he  became  aware  that  she  had  wonderful  brown  eyes. 
"  I  think  —  you  saved  my  life.  Indeed,  I  am  sure  you 
did.  Will  you  —  call  —  at  an  address  that  I  will 
give  you.  Mr.  Fenshawe  will  be  most  anxious  to  — 
to  —  acknowledge  your  services." 

"  Oh,  pray  leave  that  to  me,  Miss  Fenshawe,"  broke 
in  the  Baron,  whose  fluent  English  had  a  slight  lisp. 
"Here  is  my  card,"  he  went  on  rapidly,  looking  at 

11 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Royson  with  calm  assurance.  "  Come  and  see  me  this 
evening,  at  seven  o'clock,  and  I  will  make  it  worth 
your  while." 

A  glance  at  Royson's  clothes  told  him  enough,  as  he 
thought,  to  appraise  the  value  of  the  assistance  given. 
And  he  had  no  idea  that  his  fair  companion  had  really 
been  in  such  grave  danger.  He  believed  that  the 
shattering  of  the  pole  against  the  lamp  standard  had 
stopped  the  bolting  horses,  and  that  the  tall  young 
man  now  surveying  him  with  a  measuring  eye  had 
merely  succeeded  in  catching  the  reins. 
'  Royson  lifted  his  hat  to  the  lady,  who  had  alighted, 
and  was  daintily  gathering  her  skirts  out  of  the  mud. 

"  I  am  glad  to  have  been  able  to  help  you,  madam," 
he  said.  He  would  have  gone  without  another  word 
had  not  von  Kerber  touched  his  arm. 

"You  have  not  taken  my  card,"  said  the  man  im- 
periously. 

Some  mischievous  impulse,  born  of  the  turbulent 
emotions  momentarily  quelled  by  the  flurry  of  the 
carriage  accident,  conquered  Royson's  better  instincts. 
Though  the  Baron  was  tall,  he  towered  above  him. 
And  he  hardly  realized  the  harshness,  the  vexed  con- 
tempt, of  his  muttered  reply: 

"I  don't  want  your  charity,  I  want  work." 

At  once  he  was  conscious  of  his  mistake.  He  had 
sunk  voluntarily  to  the  level  of  the  Vauxhall  paraders. 
He  had  even  stolen  their  thunder.  A  twinge  of  self- 
denunciation  drove  the  anger  from  his  frowning  eyes. 
And  the  Baron  again  thought  he  read  his  man  correctly. 


"I  don't  want  your  charity,  I  want  work!" 


Page  12 


Wherein  Fortune  turns  her  Wheel 

"Even  so,"  he  said,  in  a  low  tone,  "take  my  card. 
I  can  find  you  work,  of  the  right  sort,  for  one  who  has 
brains  and  pluck,  yes?" 

The  continental  trick  of  ending  with  an  implied 
question  lent  a  subtle  meaning  to  his  utterance,  and 
he  helped  it  with  covert  glance  and  sour  smile.  Thus 
might  Caesar  Borgia  ask  some  minion  if  he  could  use 
a  dagger.  But  Royson  was  too  humiliated  by  his 
blunder  to  pay  heed  to  hidden  meanings.  He  grasped 
the  card  in  his  muddied  fingers,  and  looked  towards 
Miss  Fenshawe,  who  was  now  patting  one  of  the  horses. 
Her  aristocratic  aloofness  was  doubly  galling.  She, 
too,  had  heard  what  he  said,  and  was  ready  to  classify 
him  with  the  common  herd.  And,  indeed,  he  had 
deserved  it.  He  was  wholly  amazed  by  his  own  churl- 
ish outburst.  Not  yet  did  he  realize  that  Fate  had 
taken  his  affairs  in  hand,  and  that  each  step  he  took, 
each  syllable  he  uttered  in  that  memorable  hour,  were 
part  and  parcel  of  the  new  order  of  events  in  his  life. 

Quite  crestfallen,  he  hurried  away.  He  found  him- 
self inside  the  gates  of  the  park  before  he  took  note  of 
direction.  Then  he  went  to  the  edge  of  the  lake, 
wetted  his  handkerchief,  and  rubbed  off  the  worst  of 
the  mud-stains.  While  engaged  in  this  task  he  calmed 
down  sufficiently  to  laugh,  not  with  any  great  degree 
of  mirth,  it  is  true,  but  with  a  grain  of  comfort  at  the 
recollection  of  Seymour's  eulogy. 

"King  Dick!"  he  growled.  "Times  have  changed 
since  last  I  heard  that  name.  By  gad,  five  years  can 
work  wonders." 

13 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

And,  indeed,  so  can  five  seconds,  when  wonders  are 
working,  but  the  crass  ignorance  of  humanity  oft  pre- 
vents the  operation  being  seen.  Be  that  as  it  may, 
Royson  discovered  that  it  was  nearly  eleven  o'clock 
before  he  had  cleaned  his  soiled  clothes  sufficiently  to 
render  himself  presentable.  As  he  set  out  once  more 
for  his  rendezvous,  he  heard  the  band  playing  the  old 
Guard  back  to  quarters.  The  soldiers  came  down  the 
Mall,  but  he  followed  the  side  of  the  lake,  crossed  the 
Horse-guards  Parade,  and  reached  the  office  for  which 
he  was  bound  at  ten  minutes  past  eleven.  He  had 
applied  for  a  secretaryship,  a  post  in  which  "  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  French"  was  essential,  and  he  was  re- 
ceived by  a  pompous,  flabby  little  man,  with  side 
whiskers,  for  whom  he  conceived  a  violent  dislike 
the  moment  he  set  eyes  on  him.  Apparently,  the 
feeling  was  mutual.  Dick  Royson  was  far  too  dis- 
tinguished looking  to  suit  the  requirements  of  the 
podgy  member  for  a  county  constituency,  a  legisla- 
tor who  hoped  to  score  in  Parliament  by  getting  the 
Yellow  Books  of  the  French  Chamber  translated  for 
his  benefit. 

"You  are  late,  Mr.  Royson,"  began  the  important 
one. 

"Yes,"  said  Dick. 

"Punctuality—" 

"  Exactly,  but  I  was  mixed  up  in  a  slight  mishap  to  a 
carriage." 

"As  I  was  about  to  remark,"  said  the  M.P.,  in  his 
most  impressive  manner,  "  punctuality  in  business  is 

14 


Wherein  Fortune  turns  her  Wheel 

a  sine  qud  non.  I  have  already  appointed  another 
secretary." 

"Poor  devil!"  said  Dick. 

"How  dare  you,  sir,  speak  to  me  in  that  man- 
ner?" 

"I  was  thinking  of  him.  I  don't  know  him,  but, 
having  seen  you,  I  am  sorry  for  him." 

"  You  impudent  rascal  —  " 

But  Royson  had  fled.  Out  in  the  street,  he  looked 
up  at  the  sky.  "Is  there  a  new  moon?"  he  asked 
himself,  gravely.  "Am  I  cracked?  Why  did  I  pitch 
into  that  chap  ?  If  I'm  not  careful,  I  shall  get  myself 
into  trouble  to-day.  I  wonder  if  Jack  Seymour  will 
lend  me  enough  to  take  me  to  South  Africa?  They 
say  that  war  is  brewing  there.  That  is  what  I 
want  —  gore,  bomb-shells,  more  gore.  If  I  stay  in 
London  —  " 

Then  he  encountered  a  procession  coming  up  North- 
umberland Avenue.  Police,  mounted  and  on  foot, 
headed  it.  Behind  marched  the  unemployed,  thousands 
of  them. 

"  If  I  stay  in  London,"  he  continued,  quite  seriously, 
"I  shall  pick  out  a  beefy  policeman  and  fight  him. 
Then  I  shall  get  locked  up,  and  my  name  will  be  in 
the  papers,  and  my  uncle  will  see  it,  and  have  a  fit, 
and  die.  I  don't  want  my  uncle  to  have  a  fit,  and 
die,  or  I  shall  feel  that  I  am  responsible  for  his 
death.  So  I  must  emigrate." 

Suddenly  he  recalled  the  words  and  manner  of  the 
Baron  von  Kerber.  They  came  to  him  with  the  vivid- 

15 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

ness  of  a  new  impression.  He  sought  for  the  card  in 
his  pocket.  "Baron  Franz  von  Kerber,  118,  Queen's 
Gate,  W.,"  it  read. 

"Sounds  like  an  Austrian  name,"  he  reflected. 
"  But  the  girl  was  English,  a  thoroughbred,  too.  What 
was  it  he  said?  'Work  of  the  right  sort,  for  a  man 
with  brains  and  pluck.'  Well,  1  shall  give  this  joker 
a  call.  If  he  wants  me  to  tackle  anything  short  of 
crime,  I'm  his  man.  Failing  him,  I  shall  see  Jack 
to-morrow,  when  he  is  off  duty." 

A  red  banner  was  staggering  up  Northumberland 
Avenue,  and  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  fat  man  in  the 
midst  of  the  lean  ones. 

"Oh,  dash  those  fellows,  they  give  me  the  hump," 
he  growled,  and  he  turned  his  back  on  them  a  second 
time.  But  no  military  pomp  or  startled  horses  offered 
new  adventure  that  day.  He  wandered  about  the 
streets,  ate  a  slow  luncheon,  counted  his  money,  seven- 
teen shillings  all  told,  went  into  the  British  Museum, 
and  dawdled  through  its  galleries  until  he  was  turned 
out.  Then  he  bought  a  newspaper,  drank  some  tea, 
and  examined  the  shipping  advertisements. 

His  mind  was  fixed  on  South  Africa.  Somehow,  it 
never  occurred  to  him  that  the  fur-clothed  Baron 
might  find  him  suitable  employment.  Nevertheless, 
he  went  to  118,  Queen's  Gate,  at  seven  o'clock.  The 
footman  who  opened  the  door  seemed  to  be  expecting 
him. 

"  Mr.  King  ? "  said  the  man. 

This  struck  Royson  as  distinctly  amusing. 
16 


Wherein  Fortune  turns  her  Wheel 

"  Something  like  that,"  he  answered,  but  the  footman 
had  the  face  of  a  waxen  image. 

"This  way,  Mr.  King." 

And  Royson  followed  him  up  a  wide  staircase, 
marveling  at  the  aptness  of  the  name. 


17 


CHAPTER  H 

THE   COMPACT 

THE  Baron  Franz  von  Kerber  was  in  evening  dress. 
He  was  engrossed  in  the  examination  of  a  faded,  or 
discolored,  document  when  Royson  was  shown  into  an 
apartment,  nominally  the  drawing-room,  which  the 
present  tenant  had  converted  into  a  spacious  study. 
An  immense  map  of  the  Red  Sea  littoral,  drawn  and 
colored  by  hand,  hung  on  one  of  the  walls;  there  were 
several  chart  cases  piled  on  a  table;  and  a  goodly 
number  of  books,  mainly  ancient  tomes,  were  arranged 
on  shelves  or  stacked  on  floor  and  chairs.  This  was 
the  room  of  a  worker.  Von  Kerber's  elegant  exterior 
was  given  a  new  element  of  importance  by  his  sur- 
roundings. 

That  was  as  much  as  Royson  could  note  before  the 
Baron  looked  up  from  the  letter  he  was  reading.  It 
demanded  close  scrutiny,  because  it  was  written  in 
Persi-Arabic. 

"Ah,  glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  King,"  he  said  affably. 
"Sit  there,"  and  he  pointed  to  an  empty  chair.  Dick 
knew  that  this  seat  in  particular  was  selected  because 
it  would  place  him  directly  in  front  of  a  cluster  of 
electric  lights.  He  waited  until  the  door  was  closed. 

18 


The  Compact 

"  By  the  way,"  he  said,  "  why  do  you  call  me  '  King '  ? 
That  is  not  my  name,  but  it  is  rather  extraordinary 
that  you  should  have  hit  on  it,  because  it  is  part  of  a 
nickname  I  had  at  school." 

He  was  fully  at  ease  now.  Poverty  and  anxiety  can 
throw  even  a  Napoleon  out  of  gear,  but  Richard 
Royson  was  hard  as  granite  in  some  ways,  and  the 
mere  decision  to  go  to  South  Africa  had  driven  the 
day's  distempered  broodings  from  his  mind. 

"  I  thought  I  heard  the  officer  who  spoke  to  you  in 
Buckingham  Palace  Road  address  you  as  King," 
explained  von  Kerber. 

"  Yes,  that  is  true,"  admitted  Royson.  He  felt  that 
it  would  savor  of  the  ridiculous,  in  his  present  cir- 
cumstances, were  he  to  state  his  nickname  in  full  and 
explain  the  significance  of  it.  In  fact,  he  was  resolved 
to  accept  the  five-pound  note  which  the  Baron  would 
probably  offer  him,  and  be  thankful  for  it.  Hence, 
the  pseudonym  rather  soothed  his  pride. 

Von  Kerber  placed  the  Arabic  scrawl  under  a  paper- 
weight. He  was  a  man  who  plumed  himself  on  a  gift 
of  accurate  divination.  Such  a  belief  is  fatal.  For 
the  third  time  that  day,  he  misunderstood  the  Eng- 
lishman's hesitancy. 

"  What's  in  a  name  ?  "  he  quoted,  smilingly.  "  Sup- 
pose I  continue  to  call  you  King?  It  is  short,  and 
easily  remembered,  and  your  English  names  puzzle 
me  more  than  your  language,  which  is  difficult  enough, 
yes?" 

"  Then  we  can  leave  it  at  that,"  agreed  Royson. 
19 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"I  thought  so.  Well,  to  come  to  business.  What 
can  you  do  ?  " 

"It  would  be  better,  perhaps,  if  you  told  me  what 
you  want  me  to  do." 

"Can  you  ride?" 

"Yes." 

"  Have  you  ever  been  to  sea  ?  " 

Royson  pricked  up  his  ears  at  this.  "The  sea" 
suggested  undreamed-of  possibilities.  And  von  Kerber 
certainly  had  the  actor's  facial  art  of  conveying  much 
more  than  the  mere  purport  of  his  words.  The  map, 
the  charts,  assumed  a  new  meaning.  Were  they 
scenic  accessories  ?  Had  this  foreigner  taken  the 
whim  to  send  him  abroad  on  some  mission?  He 
decided  to  be  less  curt  in  his  statements. 

"If  I  simply  answered  your  question  I  should  be 
compelled  to  say  'No,'"  he  replied.  "So  far  as  my 
actual  sea-going  is  concerned,  it  has  consisted  of  trips 
across  the  Channel  when  I  was  a  boy.  Yet  I  am  a  fair 
sailor.  I  can  handle  a  small  yacht  better  than  most 
men  of  my  age.  My  experience  is  confined  to  a 
lake,  but  it  is  complete  in  that  small  way.  And  I 
taught  myself  the  rudiments  of  navigation  —  as  a 
pastime." 

"Ah!" 

The  Baron  expressed  both  surprise  and  gratification 
by  the  monosyllable.  Royson  was  weighing  his  com- 
panion closely  now,  and  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  were  qualities  in  that  tall,  thin,  somewhat 
effeminate  personality  which  he  had  not  detected  dur- 

20 


The  Compact 

ing  their  brief  meeting  of  the  morning.  Von  Kerber 
was  good-looking,  with  something  of  the  dignity  and 
a  good  deal  of  the  aspect  of  a  bird  of  prey.  His  slender 
frame  was  well-knit.  His  sinuous  hands  hinted  at 
unexpected  strength.  Were  Roy  son  told  that  his 
possible  employer  was  a  master  of  the  rapier  he  would 
have  credited  it.  And  the  Baron,  for  his  part,  was 
rapidly  changing  the  first-formed  estimate  of  his  guest. 

"Pray  forgive  me  if  I  seem  to  intrude  on  your  per- 
sonal affairs,"  he  said;  "but,  taking  your  own  words, 
you  are  —  how  do  you  say  it  —  schlimm  —  aux 
abois  —  " 

"  Hard  up.     Yes." 

"What?     You  speak  German,  or  is  it  French?" 

"  German,  a  little.     I  am  understandable  in  French." 

"Ah." 

Again  von  Kerber  paused.  Royson  smiled.  Had 
he  striven  to  mislead  the  other  man  as  to  his  character 
he  could  not  have  succeeded  so  admirably.  And  the 
Baron  read  the  smile  according  to  his  own  diagnosis. 
He  was  sure  that  this  well-educated,  gentlemanly,  yet 
morose-mannered  young  Englishman  was  under  a 
cloud  —  that  he  had  broken  his  country's  laws,  and 
been  broken  himself  in  the  process.  And  von  Kerber 
was  searching  for  men  of  that  stamp.  They  would  do 
things  that  others,  who  pinned  their  faith  to  testi- 
monials, certificates,  and  similar  vouchers  of  repute, 
might  shy  at. 

"  I  think  you  are  one  to  be  trusted  ?  "  he  went  on, 

"I  am  glad  you  think  that." 
21 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"Yes.  I  soon  make  up  my  mind.  And  to-day  you 
acted  as  one  man  among  a  thousand.  Miss  Fenshawe, 
the  lady  in  the  carriage,  enlightened  me  afterwards. 
I  saw  only  part  of  your  fine  behavior.  You  were 
quick  and  fearless.  Those  are  the  qualities  I  seek, 
but  I  demand  obedience,  too,  and  a  still  tongue,  yes  ?  " 

"I  would  not  betray  a  man  who  trusted  me,"  said 
Dick.  "If  I  disagreed  with  you  I  would  leave  you. 
I  fell  out  with  the  son  of  my  last  employer,  so  I  left  him, 
a  fortnight  ago.  Yet  I  have  kept  my  reasons  to  my- 
self." 

The  memory  of  that  falling  out  was  yet  vivid.  He 
had  filled  the  position  of  foreign  correspondence  clerk 
to  an  export  firm  in  the  city.  One  evening,  returning 
late  to  the  office,  he  surprised  the  typist,  a  rather  pretty 
girl,  in  tears.  She  blurted  out  some  broken  words 
which  led  him  to  interview  the  young  gentleman  who 
represented  the  budding  talent  of  the  house;  and  the 
result  was  lamentable.  The  senior  partner  dismissed 
him  next  day,  telling  him  he  was  lucky  he  had  escaped 
arrest  for  a  murderous  assault,  and,  as  for  the  girl, 
she  was  like  the  rest  of  her  class,  anxious  only  to  in- 
veigle a  rich  young  fool  into  marriage.  The  point  of 
view  of  both  father  and  son  was  novel  to  Royson, 
and  their  ethics  were  vile,  but  he  gave  the  girl,  who 
was  sent  away  at  the  same  time,  half  of  the  six  pounds 
he  had  in  his  pocket,  and  wished  he  had  used  his  fist 
instead  of  his  open  hand  on  the  junior  partner's  face. 

This,  of  course,  had  singularly  little  bearing  on  his 
declaration  to  von  Kerber,  who  metaphorically  stuck 

22 


The  Compact 

his  talons  into  that  portion  of  Royson's  utterance 
which  interested  him.  He  bent  across  the  table,  lean- 
ing on  his  curved  fingers,  spread  apart,  like  claws. 

"Ah,"  he  said  slowly.  "That  is  good.  You 
would  not  betray  a  man  who  trusted  you.  You  mean 
that?" 

"I  do." 

"  Very  well,  then.  I  offer  you  the  position  of  second 
mate  on  my  yacht,  the  Aphrodite.  She  is  a  sailing 
vessel,  with  auxiliary  steam,  a  seaworthy  craft,  of 
two  hundred  and  eighty  tons.  I  pay  well,  but  I  ask 
good  service.  The  salary  is  <£20  per  month,  all  found. 
The  captain,  two  officers,  and  fourteen  men  receive 
ten  per  cent  of  the  gross  profits  of  a  certain  under- 
taking —  the  gross  profits,  remember  —  divided  in 
proportion  to  their  wages.  If  successful,  your  share, 
small  though  it  sounds,  will  be  large  enough  to  make 
you  a  comparatively  rich  man.  Do  you  accept, 
yes?" 

Dick  Royson  felt  his  heart  thumping  against  his 
ribs.  "Why,  of  course,  I  accept,"  he  cried.  "But 
your  terms  are  so  generous,  to  a  man  without  a  pro- 
fession, that  I  must  ask  you  one  thing?  Is  the  affair 
such  as  an  honest  man  can  take  part  in?" 

"  It  is.  No  one  can  cavil  at  its  honesty.  Yet  we 
may  encounter  difficulties.  There  may  be  fighting, 
not  against  a  government,  but  to  defend  our  —  our 
gains  —  from  those  who  would  rob  us." 

"I'm  with  you,  heart  and  soul,"  cried  Royson, 
stirred  out  of  his  enforced  calmness.  "Indeed,  I  am 

23 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

exceedingly  obliged  to  you.  I  am  at  a  loss  to  account 
for  my  amazing  good  luck." 

The  Baron  snapped  his  fingers  with  a  fine  air. 
"  Good  luck ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  There  is  no  such 
thing.  A  man  with  intelligence  and  nerve  grasps  the 
opportunity  when  it  presents  itself.  You  took  it  this 
morning.  You  may  say  that  you  might  not  have  been 
given  the  chance.  Nonsense,  my  dear  Mr.  King! 
Missing  that,  you  would  have  found  another.  Let  me 
tell  you  that  I  have  created  a  place  for  you  on  the 
ship's  roll.  You  took  my  fancy.  I  had  already  secured 
my  crew.  They  are  all  Englishmen  —  stupid  fellows, 
some  of  them,  but  trustworthy.  You  are  a  trustworthy 
race,  yes  ?  " 

"That  is  our  repute.     I  have  met  exceptions." 

"  Oh,  as  for  that,  every  man  has  his  price.  That  is 
why  I  pay  well.  Now,  I  am  going  out  to  dine.  The 
Aphrodite  sails  this  week.  You  will  sign  an  agreement, 
yes?" 

"Delighted,"  said  Dick,  though  bitter  experience 
had  taught  him  that  von  Kerber's  last  question  might 
reveal  some  disagreeable  feature  hitherto  unseen,  just 
as  the  sting  of  the  scorpion  lies  in  its  tail. 

The  Baron  handed  him  a  printed  document. 

"Read  that,"  he  said.  "You  need  have  no  fear  of 
legal  quibbles.  It  contains  nothing  unreasonable,  but 
I  insist  on  its  observance  in  letter  and  spirit." 

Certainly,  no  unfair  demand  was  made  by  the  brief 
contract  which  Royson  glanced  at.  He  noticed  that 
the  Aphrodite  was  described  as  "owned  by  Hiram 

24 


The  Compact 

Fenshawe,  Esq.,  of  Chalfount  Manor,  Dorset,  and 
Emperor's  Gate,  London,  W.,"  while  Baron  Franz 
von  Kerber  figured  as  "controller  and  head  of  the 
expedition."  The  agreement  was  to  hold  good  for 
six  months,  with  an  option,  "vesting  solely  in  the  said 
Baron  Franz  von  Kerber,"  to  extend  it,  month  by 
month,  for  another  equal  period.  There  were  blanks 
for  dates  and  figures  —  — ,  and  one  unusual  clause  read : 

"The  undersigned  hereby  promises  not  to  divulge 
the  vessel's  destination  or  mission,  should  either,  or 
both,  become  known  to  him;  not  to  give  any  informa- 
tion which  may  lead  to  inquiry  being  made  by  others 
as  to  her  destination  or  mission,  and  not  to  make  any 
statement,  in  any  form  whatsoever,  as  to  the  success  or 
otherwise  of  the  voyage  at  its  conclusion,  unless  at  the 
request  of  the  said  Baron  Franz  von  Kerber.  The 
penalty  for  any  infringement  of  this  clause,  of  which 
Baron  Franz  von  Kerber  shall  be  the  judge,  shall  be 
dismissal,  without  any  indemnity  or  payment  of  the 
special  bonus  hereinafter  recited." 

Then  followed  the  salary  clause,  and  a  stipulation 
as  to  the  ten  per  cent  share  of  the  gross  profits.  The 
Baron's  promises  could  not  have  been  phrased  in 
more  straightforward  style. 

"  Give  me  a  pen,"  said  Royson,  placing  the  paper 
on  a  blotting  pad. 

There  was  an  unconscious  masterfulness  in  his  voice 
and  manner  which  seemed  to  startle  von  Kerber.  In 
very  truth,  the  younger  man  was  overjoyed  at  the 
astounding  turn  taken  by  his  fortunes.  The  restraint 
he  had  imposed  on  himself  earlier  was  gone.  He 

25 


wanted  to  wring  the  Baron's  hand  and  hail  him  as  his 
best  friend.  Perhaps  the  other  deemed  this  attitude 
a  trifle  too  free  and  easy  in  view  of  the  relations  that 
would  exist  between  them  in  the  near  future. 

"You  will  find  a  pen  on  the  ink-stand,"  said  he, 
quietly,  stooping  over  some  papers  on  a  corner  of  the 
table.  Then  he  added,  apparently  as  an  afterthought: 

"Don't  forget  your  name,  Mr.  King." 

The  hint  brought  Royson  back  to  earth.  He  signed 
"  Richard  King,"  dried  the  ink  carefully,  and  marveled 
a  little  at  his  re-christening  and  its  sequel. 

"When  and  where  shall  I  report  myself  for  duty, 
sir?"  he  asked. 

Von  Kerber  looked  up.  His  tone  grew  affable 
again,  and  Dick  had  learnt  already  that  it  is  a  token 
of  weakness  when  a  man  insists  on  his  own  predomi- 
nance. 

"  First  let  me  fill  in  a  date  and  the  amount  of  your 
salary."  The  Baron  completed  and  signed  a  duplicate. 
"  Get  that  stamped  at  Somerset  House,  in  case  of 
accident,"  he  continued,  "I  might  have  been  killed 
this  very  day,  you  know.  One  of  my  servants  will 
witness  both  documents.  Before  he  comes  in,  put  this 
envelope  in  your  pocket.  It  contains  half  of  your 
first  month's  salary  in  advance,  and  you  will  find  in  it 
a  card  with  the  address  of  a  firm  of  clothiers,  who  will 
supply  your  outfit  free  of  charge.  Call  on  them  early 
to-morrow,  as  the  time  is  short,  and  you  are  pretty 
long,  yes?  Report  yourself  to  the  same  people  at 
four  o'clock  on  Wednesday  afternoon.  They  will  have 

26 


The  Compact 

your  baggage  ready,  and  give  you  full  directions. 
From  that  moment  you  are  in  my  service.  And  now, 
the  order  is  silence,  yes  ?  " 

While  the  Baron  was  speaking  he  touched  an  elec- 
tric bell.  The  waxen-faced  man-servant  appeared, 
laboriously  wrote  "  William  Jenkins  "  where  he  was  bid, 
and  escorted  Royson  to  the  door.  The  Baron  merely 
nodded  when  Dick  said  "  Good  night,  sir."  He  had 
picked  up  an  opera  hat  and  overcoat  from  a  chair, 
but  was  bestowing  a  hasty  farewell  glance  on  the 
Persi-Arabic  letter. 

A  closed  carriage  and  pair  of  horses  were  standing 
in  front  of  the  house,  and  Royson  recognized  the 
coachman.  It  was  that  same  Spong  who  had  groveled 
in  the  mud  of  Buckingham  Palace  Road  nine  hours 
ago.  And  the  man  knew  him  again,  for  he  raised  his 
whip  in  a  deferential  salute. 

"  Not  much  damage  done  this  morning  ?  "  cried  Dick. 

"No,  sir.  I  drove  'em  home  afterwards,  broken 
pole  an'  all,"  said  Spong. 

"  That's  not  the  same  pair,  is  it  ?  " 

"No,  sir.     This  lot  is  theayter,  the  bays  is  park." 

So  Mr.  Hiram  Fenshawe,  whoever  he  was,  owned 
the  yacht,  and  ran  at  least  two  fine  equipages  from  his 
town  house.  He  must  be  a  wealthy  man.  Was  he 
the  father  of  that  patrician  maid  whose  gratitude 
had  not  stood  the  strain  of  Royson's  gruffness?  Or, 
it  might  be,  her  brother,  seeing  that  he  was  associated 
with  von  Kerber  in  some  unusual  enterprise?  What 
was  it  ?  he  wondered.  "  There  may  be  fighting,"  said 

27 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

von  Kerber.  Dick  was  glad  of  that.  He  had  taken 
a  solemn  vow  to  his  dying  mother  that  he  would  not 
become  a  soldier,  and  the  dear  lady  died  happy  in  the 
belief  that  she  had  snatched  her  son  from  the  war- 
dragon  which  had  bereft  her  of  a  husband.  The 
vow  lay  heavy  on  the  boy's  heart  during  many  a 
year,  for  he  was  a  born  man-at-arms,  but  he  had  kept 
it,  and  meant  to  keep  it,  though  not  exactly  according 
to  the  tenets  of  William  Penn.  Somehow,  his  mother's 
beautiful  face,  wanly  exquisite  in  that  unearthly  light 
which  foreshadows  the  merging  of  time  into  eternity, 
rose  before  him  now  as  he  passed  from  the  aristocratic 
dimness  of  Prince's  Gate  into  the  glare  and  bustle  of 
Knightsbridge.  A  newsboy  rushed  along,  yelling  at 
the  top  of  his  voice.  The  raucous  cry  took  shape: 
"  Kroojer's  reply.  Lytest  from  Sarth  Hafricar."  That 
'day's  papers  had  spoken  of  probable  war,  and  Royson 
wanted  to  be  there.  He  had  dreamed  of  doing  some 
work  for  the  press,  and  was  a  reader  and  writer  in  his 
spare  time,  while  he  kept  his  muscles  fit  by  gymnastics. 
But  those  past  yearnings  were  merged  in  his  new  call- 
ing. He  was  a  sailor  now,  a  filibuster  of  sorts.  The 
bo's'n's  whistle  would  take  the  place  of  the  bugle-call. 
Would  that  have  pleased  his  mother?  Well,  poor 
soul,  she  had  never  imagined  that  her  son  would  be 
compelled  to  chafe  his  life  out  at  a  city  desk.  The 
very  air  of  London  had  become  oppressive;  the  hurry- 
ing crowd  was  unsympathetic  to  his  new-found  joy  of 
living;  so,  without  any  well-defined  motive,  he  sought 
the  ample  solitude  of  the  park. 

28 


The  Compact 

Be  it  noted  that  he  usually  went  straight  from  point 
to  point  without  regard  to  obstacles.  Hence,  in  his 
devious  wanderings  of  that  remarkable  day,  he  was 
departing  from  fixed  habit,  and,  were  he  a  student 
of  astrology,  he  would  assuredly  have  sought  to  ascer- 
tain what  planets  were  in  the  ascendant  at  a  quarter- 
past  ten  in  the  morning,  and  half-past  seven  in  the 
evening.  For  he  had  scarcely  reached  the  quiet  gloom 
of  the  trees  when  a  man,  who  had  followed  him  since 
he  quitted  von  Kerber's  house,  overtook  him  and 
touched  his  arm. 

"Beg  pardon,"  said  the  stranger,  "but  are  you  the 
gentleman  who  called  on  Baron  von  Kerber  half  an 
hour  ago?" 

"Yes."  Taken  unawares,  Dick  was  thrown  off  his 
guard  for  the  instant. 

"  And  you  left  his  house  just  now  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  To  prevent  a  mistake,  may  I  ask  your  name  ?  " 

"Certainly.     It  is  Royson,  Richard  Royson." 

"And  address?" 

A  curious  ring  of  satisfaction  in  the  newcomer's  voice 
carried  a  warning  note  with  it.  Dick  was  conscious, 
too,  that  he  had  departed  from  the  new  role  assigned 
to  him  by  his  employer,  yet  it  would  be  absurd  to  begin 
explaining  that  he  was  not  known  as  Royson,  but  as 
King,  in  connection  with  von  Kerber.  The  blunder 
annoyed  him,  and  he  faced  his  questioner  squarely. 

"  Before  I  give  you  any  more  information  I  want  to 
know  who  you  are,"  he  said. 

29 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

His  downright  way  of  speaking  appeared  to  cany 
conviction. 

"Well,  Mr.  Royson,  I  don't  mind  telling  you  that 
I  am  a  private  inquiry  agent,"  was  the  ominous  answer. 
"I  am  retained  by  a  gentleman  who  brings  a  very 
serious  charge  against  von  Kerber,  and,  as  I  have 
reason  to  believe  that  you  are  only  slightly  mixed  up 
in  this  affair  at  present,  I  am  commissioned  to  offer 
you  a  handsome  reward  for  any  valuable  information 
you  may  give  my  client  or  procure  for  him  in  the 
future." 

"  Indeed ! "  said  Dick,  who  was  debating  whether 
or  not  to  knock  the  man  down. 

"Yes.  We  mean  business,  I  assure  you.  This  is 
no  common  matter.  Von  Kerber  is  an  Austrian,  and 
my  client  is  an  Italian.  Perhaps  you  know  how  they 
hate  each  other  as  nations,  and  these  two  have  a  pri- 
vate quarrel  as  well." 

"What  does  your  employer  want  to  find  out?" 
asked  Dick. 

"  Well,  as  a  start,  he  wants  to  know  why  von  Kerber 
is  shipping  a  crew  for  a  yacht  called  the  Aphrodite." 

"Then  he  has  learned  something  already?" 

"  Oh,  that  was  too  easy.  Any  one  can  pump  a  half- 
drunken  sailor." 

The  private  inquiry  agent  spoke  confidentially.  He 
fancied  he  had  secured  the  sort  of  aide  he  needed,  a 
spy  of  superior  intelligence. 

"Suppose  I  give  you  that  first  item  of  news,  what 
is  the  figure?" 

30 


The  Compact 

"Say  a  fiver." 

"But  I  am  almost  willing  to  pay  that  much  for  the 
pleasure  of  spreading  your  nose  over  your  face." 

There  was  a  sudden  gap  between  the  two.  Perhaps 
the  stranger  felt  that  the  rawness  of  the  atmosphere 
demanded  brisk  movement. 

"Oh,  is  that  it?"  snarled  he. 

"Yes,  that  is  it." 

"You  had  better  be  careful  what  you  are  doing." 
Dick  had  advanced  a  pace,  but  the  agent  sheered  off 
twice  as  far,  as  though  the  air  between  them  was  not 
only  cold  but  resilient. 

"I  shall  be  quite  careful.  Just  one  small  punch, 
say  a  sovereign's  worth.  Come,  that  is  cheap  enough." 

Then  the  man  ran  off  at  top  speed.  Royson  could 
have  caught  him  in  a  few  strides,  but  he  did  not  move. 
He  had  not  meant  to  hit,  only  to  scare,  yet  the  incident 
was  perplexing,  and  the  more  he  pondered  over  it  the 
less  pleased  he  was  at  his  own  lack  of  finesse,  as  he 
might  have  learnt  something  without  fear  of  indis- 
cretion, seeing  that  he  had  nothing  to  tell.  Neverthe- 
less, his  final  decision  was  in  favor  of  the  first  impulse. 
Von  Kerber  had  treated  him  with  confidence  —  why 
should  he  wish  to  possess  any  disturbing  knowledge 
of  von  Kerber? 

But  he  refused  to  be  shadowed  like  a  thief.  He 
stepped  out,  left  the  park  at  Stanhope  Gate,  jumped 
on  to  a  passing  omnibus,  changed  it  for  another  in  the 
middle  of  Oxford  Street,  and  walked  down  Regent 
Street  with  a  well-founded  belief  that  he  had  defeated 

31 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

espionage  for  the  time.  Thereafter,  he  behaved 
exactly  like  several  hundred  thousand  young  men  in 
London  that  night.  He  dined,  bought  some  cigars, 
rare  luxuries  to  him,  went  to  a  music-hall,  soon  wearied 
of  its  inanities,  and  traveled  by  an  early  train  to 
Brixton,  where  he  rented  cheap  lodgings. 

He  slept  the  sleep  of  sound  digestion,  which  is  so 
often  confused  with  a  good  conscience,  and  rose  be- 
times. At  a  city  tailoring  establishment  he  was 
measured  dubiously,  being  far  removed  from  stock 
size.  But  a  principal  made  light  of  difficulties,  and 
Royson  noticed  that  he  was  to  be  supplied  with  riding 
breeches  and  boots  in  addition  to  a  sea-faring  kit, 
while  a  sola  topi,  or  pith  helmet,  appeared  in  the  list. 

He  asked  no  questions,  was  assured  that  all  would 
be  in  readiness  at  four  o'clock  that  day,  and  found 
himself  turned  loose  again  in  London  at  an  early  hour 
with  nothing  to  do.  And  what  do  you  think  he  did  ? 
He  caught  a  Mansion-House  train  to  Victoria,  waylaid 
the  Guards  a  second  time,  marched  with  them  valiantly 
to  St.  James's,  and  took  a  keen  delight  in  their  stately 
pageant.  He  saw  his  friend,  Seymour,  strolling  to 
and  fro  with  a  brother  officer  in  the  tiny  square,  and 
watched  him  march  back  to  Chelsea  with  the  relieved 
guard. 

Then,  with  all  the  zest  of  seeing  London  from  a  new 
standpoint,  that  of  moneyed  idleness,  he  strolled 
towards  Hyde  Park.  He  took  the  road  known  as  the 
Ladies'  Mile,  crossed  the  Serpentine  by  the  bridge, 
and  came  back  by  the  Row.  There,  near  the  Albert 

32 


The  Compact 

Gate  crossing,  a  lady  had  reined  in  her  chestnut  hunter 
and  was  talking  to  an  old  gentleman  standing  near  the 
rails.  Had  Royson  stared  at  her,  he  might  have  re- 
membered the  eyes,  and  the  finely-cut  contours  of  nose, 
lips  and  chin.  But  his  acquaintance  with  fashionable 
society  had  been  severed  so  completely  that  he  was  not 
aware  of  the  new  code  which  permits  its  votaries  to 
stare  at  a  pretty  woman;  and  a  riding-habit  offers 
sharp  contrast  to  a  set  of  sables.  He  was  passing,  all 
unconscious  of  the  interest  he  had  aroused  in  the  lady, 
when  he  heard  her  say: 

"Why,  grandfather,  there  he  is.  Good  morning, 
Mr.  King.  Mr.  Fenshawe  and  I  were  just  talking 
about  you." 

Royson  would  have  known  her  voice  anywhere.  It 
had  the  rare  distinction  of  music  and  perfect  diction. 
Amidst  the  shrill  vulgarity  which  counterfeited  wit  in 
the  average  upper  class  gathering  of  the  period  such  a 
voice  must  have  sounded  like  the  song  of  a  robin  in  a 
crowded  rookery. 

The  unexpected  greeting  brought  a  rush  of  color 
to  Dick's  face.  But  yesterday's  cloud  had  vanished, 
and  his  natural  embarrassment  was  obviously  that  of 
a  well-bred  man  young  enough  to  be  delighted  by  the 
recognition.  Moreover,  he  was  not  covered  with  mud, 
nor  had  his  sensibilities  been  jarred  by  standards 
representing  the  hell  and  heaven  of  modern  existence. 

He  lifted  his  hat. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  have  experienced  no  ill  effects 
from  yesterday's  shock,  Miss  Fenshawe,"  he  said. 

33 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"Not  in  the  least.  It  was  a  wonderful  escape. 
Even  the  victoria  leaves  hospital  this  afternoon,  I  am 
told." 

Mr.  Fenshawe,  whose  silvery-white  hair  and  wrinkled 
skin  betokened  an  age  that  his  erect,  spare  frame 
would  otherwise  have  concealed,  patted  Royson's 
shoulder. 

"You  did  well,  Mr.  King,  very  well.  I  am  much 
beholden  to  you.  And  I  was  pleased  to  hear  from 
Baron  von  Kerber  last  night  that  you  have  joined  our 
expedition." 

Though  of  middle  height,  Mr.  Fenshawe  had  to 
raise  his  hand  as  high  as  his  own  forehead  to  reach 
Dick's  back.  His  eyes  were  shrewd  and  keen,  with 
the  introspective  look  of  the  student.  Though  it  was 
more  than  probable  that  he  was  very  wealthy,  judging 
from  the  meager  details  within  Royson's  ken,  he  had 
the  semblance  of  a  university  professor  rather  than  a 
millionaire. 

"  I  think  the  good  fortune  is  wholly  mine,  sir,"  said 
Dick,  trying  to  answer  both  at  once,  and  puzzled  to 
determine  how  he  could  repudiate  the  name  which 
von  Kerber  had  fastened  on  to  him. 

"No,  we  will  not  put  it  that  way,"  and  the  other 
seemed  to  sweep  some  confusing  thought  from  before 
his  mental  vision.  "  Let  us  say  that  the  reward  will  be 
commensurate  with  the  deed.  We  do  not  forget,  we 
Fenshawes;  do  we,  Irene?  Good  day,  Mr.  King.  I 
hope  to  make  your  better  acquaintance.  We  shall 
see  much  of  each  other  ere  long." 

34 


The  Compact 

Thus  dismissed,  with  another  friendly  tap  on  the 
shoulder,  Royson  had  no  option  but  to  raise  his  hat 
again.  He  received  a  very  gracious  smile  from  Miss 
Fenshawe,  and  he  left  the  two  with  a  curious  con- 
sciousness that  there  was  at  least  one  woman  in  the 
world  who  had  the  power  to  send  his  blood  whirling 
through  his  veins. 

As  he  walked  off  under  the  trees,  the  eyes  of  grand- 
father and  granddaughter  followed  him. 

"A  useful  man  that,  for  work  in  the  desert,"  said 
Mr.  Fenshawe. 

"Yes.  Quite  a  Crusader  in  appearance,"  mused 
the  girl  aloud. 

The  old  man  laughed  noiselessly. 

"  I  find  you  are  only  half  persuaded  as  to  the  peace- 
able nature  of  our  task,  Irene,"  he  said. 

"I  find  it  even  more  difficult  to  persuade  you  that 
Count  von  Kerber  fears  interference,  grandad." 

"My  dear  child,  these  foreigners  are  all  nerves. 
Look  at  me.  I  have  spent  twenty  years  of  my  life 
among  the  Arabs,  and  felt  safer  there  than  in  a  London 
crowd." 

"Yes,  you  dear  old  thing,  but  you  are  not  Count 
von  Kerber." 

"Nerves,  Irene,  nothing  else.  At  any  rate,  your 
Mr.  King  should  adjust  the  average  in  that  respect. 
And  if  you  begin  to  talk  of  risk  I  shall  have  to  recon- 
sider my  decision  to  take  you  with  us." 

The  chestnut  threw  up  his  head,  and  pranced  ex- 
citedly, having  been  warned  that  a  gallop  was  imminent. 

35 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"  No,  you  don't,"  laughed  Irene.  "  If  we  Fenshawes 
do  not  forget,  we  also  stick  together.  By-by.  See 
you  at  lunch." 

And  she  was  gone,  sitting  her  horse  with  the  ease 
and  sureness  of  one  of  those  Arabs  in  whom  her  grand- 
father placed  such  confidence. 


36 


CHAPTER  III 

A  CHANGE  OF  SKY,  BUT  NOT  OF  HABIT 

ROTSON  had  time  and  to  spare  for  the  analysis  of 
events  during  the  remainder  of  the  day.  In  spite  of 
von  Kerber's  repudiation  of  luck,  he  believed  that  the 
fickle  jade  sometimes  favored  a  man,  and  he  counted 
himself  thrice  fortunate  in  having  met  with  an  adven- 
ture leading  to  such  an  unforeseen  opening.  He 
realized  too,  that  had  he  been  better  dressed  —  were 
his  words  and  manners  modeled  on  smooth  conven- 
tion —  he  would  not  have  received  the  offer  of  employ- 
ment on  board  the  Aphrodite.  Looked  at  in  cold 
blood,  there  was  nothing  sinister  in  von  Kerber's  wish 
to  keep  his  business  affairs  private.  If  the  Baron  were 
mixed  up  in  a  quarrel  with  some  unknown  Italian,  his 
association  with  people  like  Mr.  Fenshawe  and  his 
granddaughter  supplied  a  valid  excuse  for  observing 
a  certain  secrecy. 

To  guess  the  nature  of  the  yacht's  mission  was  more 
difficult.  Any  reader  of  newspapers  was  aware  that 
Morocco,  Montenegro  and  Armenia,  not  to  mention 
the  political  volcanoes  of  Finland,  Poland,  and  Carlist 
centers  in  Spain,  provided  scope  for  international 
intrigue  even  in  these  prosaic  days.  But  it  was  a 

37 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

vain  thing  to  imagine  that  the  Fenshawes  would  be 
involved  in  any  wild-cat  scheme  of  that  sort.  The 
natural  sequel  to  this  thought  was  —  who  were  they  ? 
and  the  nearest  Free  Library  answered  promptly: 

"Fenshawe,  Hiram,  C.M.G.,  2d  Class  Osmanieh, 
Hon.  Fellow  of  Caius  College,  Cambridge,  landowner 
and  colliery  proprietor,  an  enthusiastic  Egyptologist, 
vice-President  of  Upper  Egypt  Exploration  Society; 
has  devoted  immense  sums  of  money  and  many  years 
of  his  life  to  Egyptian  archaeological  research.  His 
private  collection  of  coins,  pottery,  gold,  silver  and 
bronze  ornaments,  and  other  works  of  art  having  spe- 
cial reference  to  the  Roman  occupation  of  Egypt,  is 
probably  unequaled.  .  .  .  Born  at  Liverpool,  March 
20,  1830;  married,  June  10,  1854,  Hilda,  daughter  of 
Sir  Adolphus  Livingston,  Nairn.  Only  son,  Hilde- 
brand,  born  April  27,  1856;  married,  December  20, 
1880,  Irene,  2d  daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  Alfred  Stowell, 
LL.D.,  Master  of  Trinity  Hall,  Cambridge.  .  .  .  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hildebrand  Fenshawe  were  lost  in  the  wreck 
of  the  P.  &.  O.  liner  Bokhara,  off  the  Pescadores  Is- 
lands, 1892,  leaving  one  daughter,  Irene  Hildegarde, 
born  February  11,  1882." 

The  book  supplied  other  details,  but  Royson  obtained 
from  the  foregoing  extracts  a  sufficiently  clear  idea  of 
the  identity  of  the  two  people  whom  he  had  encountered 
in  the  park.  Of  course,  he  set  his  wits  to  work  in- 
stantly to  construct  new  avenues  for  the  promised 
activity  of  the  Aphrodite,  but,  these  imaginings  being 
as  hopelessly  mistaken  as  are  most  other  human  peeps 
into  futurity,  they  served  only  to  keep  him  on  tenter- 
hooks until  he  revisited  the  outfitters'  establishment. 

38 


A  Change  of  Sky,  but  not  of  Habit 

There  he  was  handed  the  keys  of  two  large  steel  trunks, 
canvas-covered,  and  requested  to  assure  himself  that 
they  contained  all  the  articles  set  forth  on  a  list.  The 
manager  also  gave  him  a  first-class  ticket  for  Marseilles, 
and  a  typewritten  instruction  that  he  was  to  travel  by 
the  nine  o'clock  train  from  Victoria  that  evening.  On 
arriving  at  the  French  port  he  would  find  the  Aphrodite 
moored  in  No.  3.  Basin,  and  he  was  requested  not  to 
wear  any  portion  of  his  uniform  until  on  board  the 
yacht. 

The  nature  of  the  arrangements,  the  prodigal  supply 
of  clothing,  rather  took  Dick's  breath  away.  Even  the 
initials,  "R.  K.,"  were  painted  on  the  trunks  and 
stitched  on  to  the  canvas. 

"  My  employer  seems  to  have  done  things  pretty 
thoroughly,"  he  could  not  help  saying. 

The  shopman  dug  a  compliment  out  of  the  remark. 

"Our  house  has  a  reputation  to  maintain,"  he 
answered,  "  and  Mr.  Fenshawe  is  one  of  our  best  and 
oldest  customers." 

There  was  no  mention  of  Count  von  Kerber,  which 
added  a  ripple  to  the  wave  of  astonishment  in  Royson's 
breast.  He  took  his  baggage  to  Charing  Cross  in  a 
cab,  and  deposited  it  there.  Meanwhile,  he  learned 
from  a  further  scrutiny  of  the  list  that  his  own  few  be- 
longings were  hardly  wanted.  He  had  not  been  so  well 
equipped  since  he  left  Heidelberg  to  rush  to  his  mother's 
death-bed.  Nevertheless,  having  already  gathered  in 
a  valise  some  books,  photographs,  letters,  and  other 
odds  and  ends,  he  went  to  Brixton  to  obtain  them. 

39 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

While  giving  a  farewell  glance  around  his  dingy 
room,  an  old  envelope,  thrown  aside  overnight,  re- 
minded him  of  a  half-formed  idea,  which  appealed  to 
him  strongly  now  that  he  knew  his  port  of  departure. 

So  he  wrote  a  short  letter: 

"DEAR  Mr.  FORBES: 

"  You  were  kind  to  me  four  years  ago,  as  kind  as  Sir 
Henry  Royson  would  permit  you  to  be  towards  one 
who  had  wilfully  and  irreparably  insulted  him.  My 
feelings  with  regard  to  him  have  undergone  no  change. 
He  may  be  dead,  for  all  I  know,  or  care.  But  you,  I 
suppose,  are  still  the  trusted  solicitor  of  the  Cuddesham 
estate,  and  Sir  Henry  Royson,  if  alive,  may  have  re- 
mained unmarried.  In  that  event,  I  am  heir  to  a  bar- 
ren title,  and  it  may  save  you  some  trouble  if  I  inform 
you  that  I  am  leaving  England.  For  reasons  of  no 
consequence,  I  am  passing  under  the  name  of  Richard 
King.  If  I  return,  or  settle  down  in  some  other  land, 
I  will  write  to  you,  say,  after  the  lapse  of  a  year.  Please 
regard  this  note  as  strictly  private,  and  do  not  interpret 
it  as  foreshadowing  any  attempt  on  my  part  to  arrive 
at  a  reconciliation  with  Sir  Henry  Royson." 

He  was  about  to  add  the  briefest  announcement  of 
his  new  career,  but  he  checked  himself;  had  not  von 
Kerber  forbidden  the  giving  of  any  information  ? 

He  signed  the  letter,  and  addressed  it  to  the  senior 
partner  of  a  firm  of  solicitors  in  Lincoln's  Inn  Fields. 
Then,  indeed,  he  felt  that  he  had  snapped  the  last 
slender  link  that  bound  him  to  the  dull  life  of  the 
city.  Like  Kent,  he  vowed  that  "freedom  lies  hence, 
and  banishment  is  here."  And  he  had  always  hated 
Brixton,  which  was  unjust  to  that  pleasant  suburb,  but 

40 


A  Change  of  Sky,  but  not  of  Habit 

the  days  of  his  sojourn  there  had  been  days  of  bond- 
age. 

He  was  among  the  first  to  secure  a  seat  in  the  Con- 
tinental mail.  Having  registered  those  superb  trunks 
through  to  Marseilles,  and  reserved  a  comfortable 
corner  by  depositing  his  valise  there,  he  strolled  up 
and  down  the  platform,  and  quietly  scrutinized  his 
fellow  passengers.  So  far  as  he  could  judge,  none  of 
the  earlier  arrivals  were  prospective  shipmates.  Two 
bronzed  men,  of  free  gait,  with  that  trick  of  carrying 
the  hands  back  to  front  which  singles  out  the  sailor 
from  the  rest  of  humanity,  drew  him  like  a  lodestone. 
But  he  soon  discovered  that  they  were  P.  &  O.  officers, 
bidding  farewell  to  a  friend  bound  for  Egypt. 

At  last  he  came  upon  a  man  and  a  woman,  a  re- 
markable pair  under  any  circumstances,  but  specially 
interesting  to  him,  seeing  that  the  man  gripped  an 
ancient  carpet  bag  on  which  was  pasted  a  label  with 
the  glaring  superscription:  "Captain  John  Stump, 
yacht  Aphrodite,  Marsails."  The  address  was  half 
written,  half  printed,  and  the  quaintly  phonetic  spelling 
of  the  concluding  word  betrayed  a  rugged  independence 
of  thought  which  was  certainly  borne  out  by  Captain 
John  Stump's  appearance.  The  written  label  might 
be  wrong ;  not  so  that  stamped  by  Neptune  on  a  weather- 
beaten  face  and  a  figure  like  a  capstan.  Little  more 
than  five  feet  in  height,  he  seemed  to  be  quite  five 
feet  wide.  If  it  be  true  that  a  poet  is  born,  not  made, 
Captain  Stump  was  a  master  mariner  from  his  cradle. 
Royson  had  never  before  seen  such  a  man.  Drawn 

41 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

out  to  Royson's  stature  he  would  yet  have  remained 
the  broader  of  the  two.  The  lady  with  him,  evidently 
Mrs.  Stump,  was  mated  for  him  by  happy  chance. 
Short  men  usually  marry  tall  women,  and  your  sons 
of  Anak  will  select  wives  of  fairy-like  proportions. 
But  Mrs.  Stump  was  even  shorter  than  her  husband, 
and  so  plump  withal,  that  a  tape  measure  round 
her  shoulders  might  have  given  her  the  prize  for  girth. 

Captain  Stump  was  examining  the  interior  of  each 
carriage  suspiciously  when  he  set  eyes  on  the  P.  &  O. 
officers. 

"  Port  yer  helium,  Becky,"  he  growled,  and  the  two 
turned  to  the  right-about.  It  happened  that  he  entered 
Royson's  compartment.  There  were  not  many  first- 
class  passengers  that  night,  so  Royson  promptly  took 
possession  of  his  own  corner,  lit  a  pipe,  and  unobtru- 
sively watched  his  future  commander.  This  was  not 
difficult,  as  Stump  stood  near  the  open  door,  and 
each  word  he  uttered  was  audible. 

"  Don't  want  to  berth  alongside  sailor-men  to-night, 
Becky,"  he  said,  after  sizing  up  Dick  in  a  comprehensive 
glance.  "  Them's  my  sailin'  orders.  '  Hoist  no  colors,' 
sez  he,  'until  you  bring  to  at  Marseilles.'" 

"What's  your  first  port  of  call,  John?"  asked  his 
wife. 

"Dunno.     I'll  send  you  a  wire." 

A  pause.     Then  Mrs.  Stump: 

"Will  you  be  long  in  Marseilles,  John?" 

Dick  thought  that  this  would  be  impossible  anywhere, 
but  Stump  answered: 

42 


A  Change  of  Sky,  but  not  of  Habit 

"Mebbe  half  an  hour,  mebbe  a  week.  You  know 
all  that  I  know,  Becky." 

"It's  funny." 

Captain  Stump  spat,  and  agreed  that  it  was  —  em- 
phatically funny.  A  ticket  inspector  approached. 

"  Going  on,  sir  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Goin'  on  ?  Of  course  I  am.  What  in  thunder 
d'ye  think  I'm  stannin'  here  for?"  demanded  the 
captain. 

"  But  if  you  stand  there,  sir,  you'll  get  left,"  said  the 
official  good-humoredly. 

"  Better  get  in,  John,  an'  don't  argy  with  the  gentle- 
man," said  Mrs.  Stump. 

Her  husband  obeyed,  grudgingly.  The  inspector 
examined  his  ticket,  and  Royson's,  and  locked  the 
door. 

"  Nice  thing ! "  grumbled  Stump.  "  I  can't  give  you 
a  good-by  hug  now,  Becky." 

This  was  literally  true.  The  captain's  breadth  of 
beam  had  never  been  contemplated  by  the  designers 
of  South-Eastern  railway  carriages.  Even  when  the 
door  was  open,  he  had  to  enter  sideways,  and  the 
brass  rail  across  the  window  rendered  it  a  physical 
impossibility  to  thrust  head  and  shoulders  outside. 

The  shrill  whistle  of  a  guard  was  answered  by  a 
colleague. 

"  Take  care  of  yourself,  John,"  said  Becky. 

"No  fear!  And  mind  you  wait  till  the  'bus  stops 
to-night.  The  other  evening  —  " 

Royson  never  learnt  what  had  befallen  Mrs.  Stump 
43 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

on  that  other  evening.  At  the  moment  the  train  began 
to  move,  he  saw  a  man  peeping  into  the  carriage  as  if 
he  were  looking  for  some  one.  He  believed  it  was  the 
private  inquiry  agent  whom  he  had  shaken  off  so 
effectively  in  Hyde  Park.  The  gloom  of  the  station, 
and  the  fact  that  the  man's  face  was  in  shadow,  made 
him  doubtful,  but,  as  the  train  gathered  speed,  the 
watcher  on  the  platform  nodded  to  him  and  smiled 
derisively.  Captain  Stump  had  quick  eyes.  He  turned 
to  Royson. 

"  Beg  pardon,  mister,  but  is  that  a  friend  of  yours  ?  " 
he  asked. 

"No,"  said  Dick. 

"  Well,  he  was  signalin'  somebody,  an'  it  wasn't  me." 

Then  remarking  that  the  unknown  craft  looked  like 
a  curiously-colored  pirate,  the  captain  squeezed  himself 
into  a  seat.  When  the  train  ran  into  and  backed  out 
of  Cannon  Street,  Stump  was  puzzled.  He  opened  the 
carpet  bag,  and  drew  forth  a  ship's  compass,  which  he 
consulted.  After  a  few  minutes'  rapid  traveling  his 
doubts  seemed  to  subside,  and  he  replaced  the  com- 
pass. Producing  a  cake  of  tobacco,  he  cut  off  several 
shavings  with  an  exceedingly  sharp  knife,  rolled  them 
between  his  broad  palms,  filled  a  pipe,  lit  it,  and 
whetted  the  knife  on  the  side  of  his  boot.  Dick  noticed 
that  all  his  actions  were  wonderfully  nimble  for  a  man 
of  his  build.  Any  stranger  who  imagined  that  this 
squat  Hercules  was  slow  and  ponderous  in  movement 
would  be  wofully  mistaken  if  he  based  hostilities  on 
that  presumption. 

44 


A  Change  of  Sky,  but  not  of  Habit 

Perhaps  the  captain  missed  the  companionship  of 
the  stout  lady  he  had  parted  from  at  Charing  Cross, 
or  it  might  be  that  his  gruffness  was  a  matter  of  habit  — 
at  any  rate,  after  a  puff  or  two,  he  spoke  to  Royson 
again. 

"D'ye  know  wot  time  we're  due  at  Dover?"  he 
asked. 

"Yes,  at  10.50." 

"  We  don't  stop  long  there  ?  " 

"  No.     The  boat  sails  ten  minutes  later." 

"  Good.  I  don't  cotton  on  to  these  blessed  trains. 
Every  time  they  jolt  I  fancy  we're  on  the  rocks.  Give 
me  a  ship,  an'  the  steady  beat  of  the  screw,  sez  I. 
Then  I  know  where  I  am." 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you,  captain,  but  you  must  put 
up  with  a  fair  spell  of  railway  bumping  before  you 
reach  Marseilles." 

Stump  gave  him  a  questioning  look.  Royson  did 
not  resemble  the  type  of  land  shark  with  which  he  was 
familiar.  Yet  his  eyes  gleamed  like  those  of  a  perplexed 
bull. 

"I  s'pose  you  heard  my  missus  an'  me  talking  of 
Marseilles,"  he  growled,  "but  how  do  you  know  I'm 
a  captain." 

"  It  is  written  on  your  bag." 

"  Well,  my  missus  wrote  that  —  " 

"Moreover,"  went  on  Dick,  determined  to  break 
the  ice,  "  I'm  your  second  mate." 

"  Wot  ?  "  roared  Stump,  leaning  forward  and  placing 
a  hand  on  each  knee,  while  his  fiery  glance  took  in 

45 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

every  detail  of  Royson's  appearance.     "  You  —  my  — 
second  —  mate  ?  " 

The  words  formed  a  crescendo  of  contemptuous 
analysis.  But  Dick  faced  the  storm  boldly. 

"Yes,"  he  said.  "I  don't  see  any  harm  in  stating 
the  fact,  now  that  I  know  who  you  are." 

"Harm!  Who  said  anything  about  harm?  Wot 
sort  of  sailor  d'ye  call  yerself?  Who  ever  heard  of 
a  sailor  in  knickers  ?  " 

Then  it  dawned  on  Royson  that  the  captain's  wrath 
was  comprehensible.  There  is  in  every  male  Briton 
who  goes  abroad  an  ingrained  instinct  that  leads  him 
to  don  a  costume  usually  associated  with  a  Highland 
moor.  Why  this  should  be  no  man  can  tell,  but  nine 
out  of  ten  Englishmen  cross  the  Channel  in  sporting 
attire,  and  Royson  was  no  exception  to  the  rule.  In 
his  case  a  sheer  revolt  against  the  "office"  suit  had 
induced  him  to  dress  in  clothes  which  recalled  one 
glorious  summer  on  the  Westmoreland  hills.  Their 
incongruity  did  not  appeal  to  him  until  Captain  Stump 
forcibly  drew  attention  thereto,  and  his  hearty  laugh 
at  the  way  in  which  he  was  enlightened  did  not  tend 
to  soothe  his  skipper's  indignation. 

"Second  mate!"  bellowed  Stump  again,  calling  the 
heavens  to  witness  that  there  never  was  such  another. 
"  Where's  yer  ticket  ?  Seein'  is  believin',  they  say. 
Who  did  you  go  to  sea  with?  When  did  you 
pass  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  certificate,  if  that  is  what  you  mean,  and 
I  have  never  been  to  sea,"  said  Royson. 

46 


A  Change  of  Sky,  but  not  of  Habit 

This  remark  impressed  Stump  as  an  exquisite  joke. 
His  rage  yielded  to  a  rumble  of  hoarse  laughter. 

"Lord  love  a  duck!"  he  guffawed.  "If  only  I'd 
ha'  knowed,  I  could  have  told  my  missus.  It  would 
have  cheered  her  up  for  a  week.  Never  mind.  We've 
a  few  minutes  in  Dover.  I'll  send  her  a  picture  post- 
card. It'll  'arf  tickle  'er  to  death." 

Evidently  the  captain  meant  to  add  certain  explana- 
tory remarks  which  would  account  for  that  Gargantuan 
tickling.  Dick,  anxious  not  to  offend  his  future  com- 
mander, smiled  sheepishly,  and  said: 

"  Sorry  I  can't  supply  you  with  a  photograph." 

Stump's  gaze  rested  on  his  stockings,  loose  breeches, 
Norfolk  jacket  and  deerstalker  cap. 

"Damme,"  he  grinned,  "it's  better  than  a  panto- 
mime. Second  mate !  Is  there  any  more  like  you  on 
the  train  ?  P'haps  that  chap  in  the  next  caboose,  in  a 
fur  coat  an'  top  hat,  is  the  steward.  An'  wot'll  Tagg 
say?" 

"I  don't  know,"  said  Dick,  half  inclined  to  resent 
this  open  scorn.  "Who  is  Tagg,  anyhow?" 

Stump  instantly  became  silent.  He  seemed  to  re- 
member his  "sailing  orders."  He  muttered  something 
about  "playin'  me  for  a  sucker,"  and  shut  his  lips 
obstinately.  Not  another  word  did  he  utter  until  they 
reached  Dover.  He  smoked  furiously,  gave  Royson 
many  a  wrathful  glance,  but  bottled  up  the  tumultuous 
thoughts  which  troubled  him.  On  board  the  steamer, 
however,  curiosity  conquered  prudence.  After  survey- 
ing Dick's  unusual  proportions  from  several  points  of 

47 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

view,  he  came  up  and  spoke  in  what  he  intended  to 
be  a  light  comedy  tone. 

"  I  say,  Mr.  Second  Mate,"  he  said,  "  I  don't  see  the 
Plimsoll  Mark  on  the  funnel.  Do  you  ?  " 

"No,  captain.     I  expect  it  has  been  washed  off." 

"  If  I  was  you  I'd  write  to  the  Board  of  Trade  about 
it." 

"Best  let  sleeping  dogs  lie,  captain." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  they  might  look  for  yours,  and  as  it  ought 
to  be  round  your  neck  they  would  say  you  were  unsea- 
worthy." 

"  So  you  know  what  it  is,  you  long  swab  ?  " 

"Yes.  Come  and  have  a  drink.  That  will  reach 
your  load-line  all  right." 

Royson  had  hit  on  the  right  method  of  dealing  with 
Stump.  The  skipper  promised  himself  some  fun,  and 
they  descended  to  the  saloon.  The  Channel  was  in 
boisterous  mood,  and  Dick  staggered  once  or  twice  in 
transit.  Stump  missed  none  of  this,  and  became  more 
jovial.  Thus  might  one  of  the  Hereford  stots  he 
resembled  approach  a  green  pasture. 

"  If  you  ask  the  steward  he'll  bring  you  some  belayin' 
tackle,"  he  said. 

"I  am  a  trifle  crank  just  now,"  admitted  Royson, 
"but  when  the  wind  freshens  I'll  take  in  a  reef  or 
two." 

Stump  looked  up  at  him. 

"  You've  put  me  clean  out  of  reckonin'.  Never  bin 
to  sea,  you  say  ?  Wot's  yer  name  ?  " 

48 


A  Change  of  Sky,  but  not  of  Habit 

"King,  Richard  King." 

"Damme,  I'm  comin'  to  like  you.  You're  a  bit  of 
a  charak-ter.  By  the  time  the  Aphrodite  points  her 
nose  home  again  I'll  'ave  you  licked  into  shape." 

They  were  crossing  the  saloon,  and  were  sufficiently 
noteworthy  by  force  of  contrast  to  draw  many  eyes. 
Indeed,  were  Baron  von  Kerber  on  board,  he  must 
have  been  disagreeably  impressed  by  the  fact  that  in 
sending  the  short  skipper  and  the  long  second  mate 
of  the  Aphrodite  to  Marseilles  in  company  he  had 
supplied  an  unfailing  means  of  tracking  their  move- 
ments. Of  course,  he  was  not  responsible  for  the 
chance  that  threw  them  together,  but  the  mere  presence 
of  two  such  men  on  the  same  vessel  would  be  remem- 
bered quite  easily  by  those  who  make  it  their  business 
to  watch  trans-Channel  passengers. 

Royson  gave  no  thought  to  this  factor  in  the  queer 
conditions  then  shaping  his  life.  Had  Stump  remained 
taciturn,  it  might  have  occurred  to  him  that  they  were 
courting  observation.  But  it  needed  the  exercise  of 
much  resourcefulness  to  withstand  the  stream  of  ques- 
tions with  which  his  commander  sought  to  clear  the 
mystery  attached  to  a  second  mate  who  knew  not 
the  sea.  Luckily,  he  emerged  from  the  flood  with 
credit;  nay,  the  examiner  himself  was  obliged  at  times 
to  assume  a  knowledge  which  he  did  not  possess,  for, 
if  Stump  knew  how  to  con  a  ship  from  port  to  port, 
Royson  could  give  reasons  for  great  circle  sailing  which 
left  Stump  gasping.  At  last,  the  stout  captain  could 
no  longer  conceal  his  amazement  when  Royson  had 

49 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

recited  correctly  the  rules  of  the  road  for  steamships 
crossing : 


If  to  my  Starboard  Red  appear, 
It  is  my  duty  to  keep  clear; 
Act  as  judgment  says  is  proper  — 
"Port"  —  or  "Starboard"  —  "Back" 


Back"  — or  "Stop  her!' 


But  when  upon  my  Port  is  seen 
A  steamer's  Starboard  light  of  green, 
For  me  there's  naught  to  do,  but  see 
That  Green  to  Port  keeps  clear  of  me. 

"Come,  now,"  he  growled,  "wot's  your  game? 
D'ye  mean  to  say  you've  bin  humbuggin'  me  all  this 
time?" 

His  little  eyes  glared  redly  from  underneath  his 
shaggy  eyebrows.  He  was  ready  to  sulk  again,  without 
hope  of  reconciliation,  so  Roy  son  perforce  explained. 

"  I  have  no  objection  to  telling  you,  captain,  how  I 
came  to  acquire  a  good  deal  of  unusual  information 
about  the  sea,  but  I  want  to  stipulate,  once  and  for 
all,  that  I  shall  not  be  further  questioned  as  to  my 
past  life." 

"Go  ahead!    That's  fair." 

"  Well,  I  have  spent  many  a  day,  since  I  was  a  boy 
of  ten  until  I  was  nearly  twenty,  sailing  a  schooner- 
rigged  yacht  on  Windermere.  My  companion  and 
tutor  was  a  retired  commander  of  the  Royal  Navy, 
and  he  amused  himself  by  teaching  me  navigation. 
I  learnt  it  better  than  any  of  the  orthodox  sciences  I 
had  to  study  at  school.  You  see,  that  was  my  hobby, 
while  a  wholesome  respect  for  my  skipper  led  me  to 
work  hard.  I  have  not  forgotten  what  I  was  taught, 

50 


A  Change  of  Sky,  but  not  of  Habit 

though  the  only  stretch  of  water  I  have  seen  during 
the  last  few  years  is  the  Thames  from  its  bridges,  and 
I  honestly  believe  that  if  you  will  put  up  with  my  want 
of  experience  of  the  sea  for  a  week  or  so,  I  shall  be 
quite  capable  of  doing  any  work  you  may  entrust  to 
me." 

"By  gad!"  said  Stump  admiringly,  "you're  a  won- 
der. Come  on  deck.  I'll  give  you  a  tip  or  two  as 
we  go  into  Calais." 

During  the  journey  across  France  it  was  natural 
that  Royson  should  take  the  lead.  He  spoke  the 
language  fluently,  whereas  Stump's  vocabulary  was 
limited  to  a  few  forcible  expressions  he  had  picked  up 
from  brother  mariners.  There  was  a  break-down  on 
the  line  near  Dijon,  which  delayed  them  eight  hours, 
and  Stump  might  have  had  apoplexy  were  not  Royson 
at  hand  to  translate  the  curt  explanations  of  railway 
officials.  But  the  two  became  good  friends,  which 
was  an  excellent  thing  for  Dick,  and  the  latter  soon 
discovered,  to  his  great  surprise,  that  Stump  had  never 
set  eyes  on  the  Aphrodite. 

"No,"  he  said,  when  some  chance  remark  from 
Royson  had  elicited  this  curious  fact,  "  she's  a  stranger 
to  me.  Me  an'  Tagg  —  Tagg  is  my  first  mate,  you 
see  —  had  just  left  the  Chirria  when  she  was  sold  to 
the  Germans  out  of  the  East  Indian  trade,  an'  we  was 
lookin'  about  for  wot  might  turn  up  when  the  man  who 
chartered  the  Aphrodite  put  us  on  to  this  job.  Tagg 
has  gone  ahead  with  most  of  the  crew,  but  I  had  to 
stop  in  London  a  few  days —  to  see  after  things  a  bit." 

51 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Stump  had  really  remained  behind  in  order  to  buy 
a  complete  set  of  charts,  but  he  checked  his  confidences 
at  that  point,  nor  did  Royson  endeavor  to  probe  further 
into  the  recent  history  of  the  yacht. 

Instead  of  traversing  Marseilles  at  night,  they  drove 
through  its  picturesque  streets  in  broad  daylight.  Both 
Royson  and  the  captain  were  delighted  with  the  lines 
of  the  Aphrodite  when  they  saw  her  in  the  spacious 
dock.  Her  tapering  bows  and  rakish  build  gave  her 
an  appearance  of  greater  size  than  her  tonnage  war- 
ranted. Royson  was  sailor  enough  to  perceive  that 
her  masts  and  spars  were  intended  for  use,  and,  when 
he  reached  her  deck,  to  which  much  scrubbing  and 
vigorous  holy-stoning  had  given  the  color  of  new 
bread,  he  knew  that  none  but  men  trained  on  a  war- 
ship had  coiled  each  rope  and  polished  every  inch  of 
shining  brass. 

And  his  heart  sank  a  little  then.  The  looks  and 
carriage  of  the  few  sailors  visible  at  the  moment  be- 
tokened their  training.  How  could  he  hope  to  hold 
his  own  with  them?  The  first  day  at  sea  must  reveal 
his  incompetence.  He  would  be  the  laughing-stock  of 
the  crew. 

He  was  almost  nervous  when  an  undersized  hairy 
personage  shoved  a  grinning  face  up  a  companionway, 
and  hailed  Stump  joyfully.  Then  the  captain  did  a 
thing  which  went  far  to  prove  that  true  gentility  is  not 
a  matter  of  deportment  or  mincing  phrase. 

"Keep  mum  before  this  crowd,"  he  muttered. 
"  Stand  by,  and  I'll  pull  you  through." 

52 


A  Change  of  Sky,  but  not  of  Habit 

Stump  extended  a  gigantic  hand  to  the  hairy  one. 
"  Glad  to  see  you  again,  old  Never-fail,"  he  roared. 
"  Let  me  introjuice  our  second  mate.  Mr.  Tagg  — 
Mr.  King.  An'  now,  Tagg,  wot's  for  breakfast  ?  Mr. 
King  an'  me  can  eat  a  Frenchman  if  you  have  nothin' 
tastier  aboard." 

Royson  was  relieved  to  find  that  he  had  practically 
no  duties  to  perform  until  the  yacht  sailed.  She  had 
been  coaled  and  provisioned  by  a  Marseilles  firm  of 
shipping  agents,  and  only  awaited  telegraphic  orders 
to  get  up  steam,  in  case  the  wind  were  unfavorable 
for  beating  down  the  Gulf  of  Lions,  when  Mr.  Fen- 
shawe  and  his  party  arrived. 

Every  member  of  the  crew  was  of  British  birth,  and 
Britons  are  not,  as  a  rule,  endowed  with  the  gift  of 
tongues.  Hence,  Royson  was  the  only  man  on  board 
who  spoke  French,  and  this  fact  led  directly  to  his 
active  participation  in  the  second  act  of  the  drama  of 
love  and  death  in  which,  all  unconsciously,  he  was 
playing  a  leading  part.  On  the  day  after  his  arrival 
in  the  French  port,  the  head  partner  of  the  firm  of 
local  agents  came  on  board  and  explained  that,  by 
inadvertence,  some  cases  of  claret  of  inferior  vintage 
had  been  susbtituted  for  the  wine  ordered.  The  mis- 
take had  been  discovered  in  the  counting-house,  and 
he  was  all  apologies. 

Royson  and  he  chatted  together  while  the  goods  were 
being  exchanged,  and,  in  the  end,  the  polite  Frenchman 
invited  messieurs  les  officiers  to  dine  with  him,  and  visit 
the  Palais  de  Glace,  where  some  daring  young  lady 

53 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

was  announced  to  do  things  in  a  motor-car  which,  in 
England,  are  only  attempted  by  motor  omnibuses. 

Stump,  who  would  not  leave  the  yacht,  permitted 
Tagg  and  Royson  to  accept  the  proffered  civility. 
They  passed  a  pleasant  evening,  and  saw  the  female 
acrobat  negotiate  a  thirty-feet  jump,  head  downward, 
taken  through  space  by  the  automobile.  Then  they 
elected  to  walk  to  No.  3.  Basin,  a  distance  of  a  mile 
and  a  half.  It  was  about  eleven  o'clock  and  a  fine 
night.  The  docks  road,  a  thoroughfare  cut  up  by 
railway  lines  holding  long  rows  of  empty  wagons, 
seemed  to  be  quite  deserted.  Tagg,  who  was  slightly 
lame,  though  active  as  a  cat  on  board  ship,  was  not 
able  to  walk  fast.  The  two  discussed  the  performance, 
and  other  matters  of  slight  interest,  and  they  paid 
little  heed  to  the  movements  of  half  a  dozen  men,  who 
appeared  from  behind  some  coal  trucks,  until  the 
strangers  advanced  towards  them  in  a  furtive  and 
threatening  way.  But  nothing  happened.  The 
prowlers  sheered  off  as  quickly  as  they  came.  Tagg, 
who  had  the  courage  which  Providence  sends  to  puny 
men,  glanced  up  at  Royson  and  laughed. 

"  Your  size  saved  us  from  a  fight,"  he  said.  "  That 
gang  is  up  to  mischief." 

"I  wonder  what  they  are  planning,"  said  Royson, 
looking  back  to  see  if  he  could  distinguish  any  other 
wayfarers  on  the  ill-lighted  road. 

"Robbery,  with  murder  thrown  in,"  was  Tagg's 
brief  comment. 

"  They  had  the  air  of  expecting  somebody.  Did  you 
54 


A  Change  of  <S%,  but  not  of  Habit 

think  that  ?     What  do  you  say  if  we  wait  in  the  shadow 
a  few  minutes?" 

"Better  mind  our  own  business,"  said  Tagg,  but  he 
did  not  protest  further,  and  the  two  halted  in  the  gloom 
of  a  huge  warehouse. 

There  was  nothing  visible  along  the  straight  vista 
of  the  road,  but,  after  a  few  seconds'  silence,  they  heard 
the  clatter  and  rumble  of  a  vehicle  crossing  a  distant 
drawbridge. 

"  Some  skipper  comin'  to  his  ship,"  muttered  Tagg. 
"It  can't  be  ours.  By  George,  if  those  chaps  tackled 
him  they  would  be  sorry  for  themselves." 

"  Captain  Stump  is  a  good  man  in  a  row,  I  take  it  ?  " 

" '  Good '  isn't  the  word.  He's  a  terror.  I've  seen 
him  get  six  of  his  men  out  of  a  San  Francisco  crimp's 
house,  an'  I  s'pose  you  'aven't  bin  to  sea  without 
knowing  wot  that  means." 

"Ah!"  said  Royson  admiringly.  He  had  found 
safety  many  times  during  the  past  two  days  by  some 
such  brief  comment.  Thus  did  he  steer  clear  of 
conversational  rocks. 

The  carriage  drew  nearer,  and  became  dimly  visible 
—  it  was  one  of  the  tiny  voiturettes  peculiar  to  French 
towns.  Suddenly  the  listeners  heard  a  shout.  The 
horse's  feet  ceased  their  regular  beat  on  the  roadway. 
Royson  began  to  run,  but  Tagg  vociferated: 

"Wait  for  me,  you  long  ijiot!  If  you  turn  up  alone 
they'll  knife  you  before  you  can  say  '  Jack  Robinson.' " 

Dick  had  no  intention  of  saying  "  Jack  Robinson," 
but  he  moderated  his  pace,  and  helped  Tagg  over  the 

55 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

ground  by  grasping  his  arm.  They  soon  saw  that  two 
men  had  pulled  the  driver  off  the  box,  and  were  holding 
him  down  —  indeed,  tying  him  hand  and  foot.  Royson 
prevented  the  success  of  this  operation  by  a  running 
kick  and  an  upper  cut  which  placed  two  Marseillais 
out  of  action.  Then  he  essayed  to  plunge  into  a 
fearsome  struggle  that  was  going  on  inside  the  car- 
riage. Frantic  oaths  in  German  and  Italian  lent 
peculiar  significance  to  a  flourishing  of  naked  knives. 
But  that  which  stirred  the  blood  in  his  veins  was  his 
recognition  of  Baron  von  Kerber's  high-pitched  voice, 
alternately  cursing  and  pleading  for  life  to  assailants 
who  evidently  meant  to  show  scant  mercy.  One  man 
who,  out  of  the  tail  of  his  eye,  had  witnessed  Dick's 
discomfiture  of  the  coachman's  captors,  drew  a  revolver, 
a  weapon  not  meant  for  show,  as  its  six  loaded  chambers 
proved  when  Dick  picked  it  up  subsequently. 

Royson  had  no  love  of  unnecessary  risk.  Stooping 
quickly,  he  grasped  the  hub  of  the  off  front  wheel, 
and,  just  varying  the  trick  which  saved  Miss  Fenshawe 
in  Buckingham  Palace  Road,  threw  the  small  vehicle 
over  on  its  side.  No  doubt  the  patient  animal  in  the 
shafts  wondered  what  was  happening,  but  the  five 
struggling  men  in  the  interior  were  even  more  surprised 
when  they  were  pitched  violently  into  the  road. 

Royson  sprang  into  the  midst  of  them,  found  von 
Kerber,  and  said: 

"You're  all  right  now,  Baron.  We  can  whip  the 
heads  off  these  rascals." 

The  sound  of  his  English  tongue  seemed  to  take  all 
56 


"Let  your  prisoner  go,  Mr.  King"  Page  57 


A  Change  of  Sky,  but  not  of  Habit 

the  fight  out  of  the  remaining  warriors.  Tagg  had 
closed  valiantly  with  one,  and  the  others  made  off. 
Von  Kerber  rose  to  his  feet,  so  Royson  went  to  Tagg's 
assistance.  He  heard  the  Baron  shriek,  in  a  falsetto 
of  rage: 

"You  may  have  recovered  the  papyrus,  Alfieri,  but 
it  is  of  no  value  to  you.  Name  of  an  Italian  dog!  I 
have  outwitted  you  even  now ! " 

While  kneeling  to  pinion  the  footpad's  arms  behind 
his  back,  thus  rescuing  Tagg  from  a  professor  of  the 
savate,  Dick  tried  to  guess  von  Kerber's  motive  in 
hurling  such  an  extraordinary  taunt  after  one  of  his 
runaway  adversaries,  and  in  French,  too,  whereas  the 
other  had  an  Italian  name,  and,  in  all  likelihood,  spoke 
only  Italian.  Was  this  Alfieri  the  man  who  "hated" 
von  Kerber  —  who  "brought  a  very  serious  charge" 
against  him?  But  Royson  was  given  no  time  for 
consecutive  thought.  The  Baron,  breathing  heavily, 
and  seemingly  in  pain,  came  to  him  and  said,  in  the 
low  tone  of  one  who  does  not  wish  to  be  overheard: 

"  Let  your  prisoner  go,  Mr.  King.  I  am  all  right, 
and  everlastingly  obliged  to  you,  but  I  do  not  wish  to 
be  detained  in  Marseilles  while  the  slow  French  law 
gets  to  work.  So  let  him  go.  He  is  nothing  —  a  mere 
hireling,  yes?  And  we  sail  to-morrow." 


57 


CHAPTER  IV 

VON   KERBER   EXPLAINS 

"You'vE  left  your  trademark  on  this  chap,"  broke 
in  Tagg.  He  was  bending  over  a  prostrate  body,  and 
the  cab-driver  was  bewailing  the  plight  of  his  voiturette. 

Royson  righted  the  carriage;  then  he  lifted  the  man 
to  a  sitting  position,  and  listened  to  his  stertorous 
breathing.  The  blow  had  been  delivered  on  that  facial 
angle  known  to  boxers  as  the  "  point,"  while  its  scientific 
sequel  is  the  "knock-out." 

"He  is  all  right,"  was  the  cool  verdict.  "He  will 
wake  up  soon  and  feel  rather  sick.  The  general  effect 
will  be  excellent.  In  future  he  will  have  a  wholesome 
respect  for  British  sailors." 

He  laid  the  almost  insensible  form  on  the  road  again, 
pocketed  the  revolver,  which  he  found  close  at  hand, 
and  gave  an  ear  to  von  Kerber's  settlement  with  the 
cocker.  The  latter  was  now  volubly  indignant  in  the 
assessment  of  damages  to  his  vehicle,  hoping  to  obtain 
a  louis  as  compensation.  When  he  was  given  a  hun- 
dred francs  his  gratitude  became  almost  incoherent. 

The  Baron  cut  him  short,  stipulating  sternly  that  he 
must  forget  what  had  happened.  Then  he  turned  to 
Royson. 

58 


Von  Kerber  Explains 

"  If  you  think  we  can  leave  the  fellow  on  the  ground 
with  safety,  I  want  to  reach  the  yacht,"  he  said. 

"  Are  you  wounded  ?  "  inquired  Dick. 

"Slightly.  Those  scoundrels  did  not  dare  to  strike 
home.  They  knew  my  papers  would  identify  them." 

"  But  they  robbed  you  ?  " 

"  No,  not  of  anything  valuable.     Why  do  you  ask  ?  " 

"Because  you  sang  out  to  one  of  them,  an  Italian, 
I  should  judge  — 

"  Ah,  you  heard  that  ?  You  are,  indeed,  quick  in  an 
emergency.  Can  we  go  on,  yes  ?  " 

"Certainly.  I  will  just  lift  our  dazed  friend  into 
the  victoria,  and  tell  the  cocker  to  give  him  a  glass  of 
cognac  at  the  first  cafe  he  comes  to." 

This  was  done.  Five  minutes  later,  the  first  and 
second  officers  of  the  Aphrodite  assisted  their  employer 
up  the  yacht's  gangway.  Leaving  Tagg  to  explain  to 
Stump  what  had  happened,  Royson  took  von  Kerber 
to  his  cabin,  and  helped  to  remove  his  outer  clothing. 
A  superficial  wound  on  the  neck,  and  a  somewhat 
deeper  cut  on  the  right  forearm,  were  the  only  injuries ; 
the  contents  of  a  medicine  chest,  applied  under  von 
Kerber' s  directions,  soon  staunched  the  flow  of  blood. 

"  I  do  not  wish  anything  to  be  said  about  this  affair," 
began  the  Baron,  when  Royson  would  have  left 
him. 

"Tagg  must  have  given  the  captain  full  details 
already,"  said  Dick. 

"  But  did  he  hear  that  name,  Alfieri  ?  " 

"  I  think  not." 

59 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"  And  he  would  not  understand  about  the  —  er  — 
document  ?  " 

"The  papyrus,"  suggested  Royson. 

"Yes." 

"No.  I  don't  suppose  he  would  understand  the 
word  in  English,  whereas  you  spoke  French." 

"  Ah,  yes,  of  course.  Well,  that  is  between  you  and 
me.  Will  you  ask  Captain  Stump  and  Mr.  Tagg  to 
join  us  in  a  bottle  of  wine?  I  would  put  matters  in 
my  own  way,  yes  ?" 

The  Baron,  after  a  slight  hesitancy,  made  his  wishes 
clear.  Mr.  Fenshawe  and  his  party  would  arrive  at 
Marseilles  by  the  train  de  luxe  next  morning,  and 
preparations  must  be  made  for  instant  departure  as 
soon  as  they  came  on  board.  They  would  be  alarmed 
needlessly  if  told  of  the  affray  on  the  quay,  so  it  was 
advisable  that  nothing  should  be  said  about  it. 

"You  see,"  purred  the  Baron  affably,  refilling  the 
glasses  which  Stump  and  Tagg  had  emptied  at  a  gulp, 
"ladies,  especially  young  ones,  are  apt  to  be  nervous." 

"Have  we  wimmen  aboard  this  trip?"  growled 
Stump  in  a  deep  rumble  of  disapproval. 

"Ladies,  yes.     Two,  and  a  maid." 

Stump  bore  round  on  his  chief. 

"  Wot  did  I  tell  ye,  Tagg  ? "  he  demanded  fiercely. 
"  Didn't  I  say  that  them  fixins  aft  meant  no  good  ?  " 

"You  did,"  agreed  Tagg,  with  equal  asperity. 

Von  Kerber  caught  the  laughter  in  Dick's  eyes,  and 
checked  the  angry  protest  ready  to  bubble  forth. 

"  The  two  ladies,"  he  said,  speaking  with  an  emphasis 
60 


Von  Kerber  Explains 

which  strove  to  cloak  his  annoyance  at  Stump's  off- 
handed manner,  "are  Miss  Fenshawe,  granddaughter 
of  the  gentleman  who  owns  this  yacht,  and  her  com- 
panion, Mrs.  Haxton.  Without  their  presence  this 
trip  would  not  have  been  undertaken,  and  that  fact 
had  better  be  recognized  at  the  outset.  But  now, 
gentlemen,  I  have  come  on  ahead  to  have  a  quiet  talk 
with  you.  Captain  Stump  knows  our  destination,  but 
none  of  you  is  aware  of  the  object  of  our  voyage.  I 
propose  to  take  you  fully  into  my  confidence  in  that 
respect.  By  this  time,  you  have  become  more  or  less 
acquainted  with  the  crew,  and,  if  you  think  any  of  the 
men  are  unsuitable,  we  must  get  rid  of  them  at  once." 

He  paused,  and  looked  at  Stump.  That  broad- 
beamed  navigator  emptied  his  glass  again,  and  gazed 
into  it  fixedly,  apparently  wondering  why  champagne 
was  so  volatile  a  thing.  Tagg  followed  the  skipper's 
example,  but  fixed  his  eyes  on  the  bottle,  perhaps  in 
calculation.  Royson,  deeming  it  wise  to  hold  his 
tongue,  contented  himself  with  closing  the  medicine 
chest,  and  thus  making  it  possible  for  von  Kerber  to 
sit  down. 

The  latter  was  obviously  ill  at  ease.  Although  he 
was  the  master  of  these  three  men,  he  was  their  inferior 
in  individual  strength  of  character.  But  he  was  a 
polished  man  of  the  world,  and  he  promptly  extricated 
himself  from  a  difficult  position,  though  Royson,  at 
least,  detected  the  effort  he  was  compelled  to  make. 

"  I  see  you  are  thinking  that  one  bottle  does  not  go 
far  among  four  of  us,  Mr.  Tagg,"  he  exclaimed,  with  a 

61 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

pleasantly  patronizing  air.  "Kindly  tell  the  steward 
to  bring  another,  Mr.  King.  And  some  cigars.  Then 
we  can  discuss  matters  at  our  ease.  And  will  you  make 
sure  that  we  are  not  overheard  ?  What  I  have  to  say 
is  meant  for  the  ship's  officers  alone  at  this  moment, 
though,  when  the  time  for  action  comes,  every  man 
on  board  must  be  with  us  absolutely." 

Dick  summoned  the  steward,  and  ascertained  that 
the  watch  were  quietly  chatting  and  smoking  forward, 
whereas  the  Baron's  stateroom  was  situated  aft.  The 
delay  enabled  von  Kerber  to  collect  his  thoughts. 
When  he  resumed  the  promised  disclosure,  his  voice 
was  under  control,  and  he  spoke  with  less  constraint. 

"  It  is  probable  that  you  gentlemen  are  not  familiar 
with  the  history  of  Egypt,"  he  said,  "  but  you  may  take 
it  from  me  that  the  facts  I  now  lay  before  you  are 
accurate.  At  one  time,  about  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  era,  the  Romans  were  all-powerful  in  the 
Nile  delta.  They  pushed  their  stations  a  long  way 
south,  almost  to  the  borders  of  Abyssinia,  but  it  is 
important  to  remember  that  they  followed  the  lines 
of  the  river,  not  the  sea.  In  the  year  24  B.C.,  the 
Roman  Governor,  hearing  of  the  great  wealth  of  a 
people  called  the  Sabseans,  whose  country  lay  in 
Arabia,  in  the  hinterland  of  Mocha  and  Aden,  sent  an 
expedition  there  under  the  command  of  ^Elius  Gallus. 
This  legion  is  historically  reported  to  have  met  with 
reverses.  That  is  true,  in  the  sense  that  its  galleys 
were  beset  by  a  terrible  storm  on  the  return  voyage. 
Though  the  Red  Sea  is  usually  a  fair-weather  lake, 

62 


Von  Kerber  Explains 

you  can  have  a  stiff  blow  there  at  times,  I  believe, 
Captain  Stump  ?  " 

Thus  appealed  to,  Stump  had  to  open  his  mouth. 

"  I've  known  it  blow  like  sin,"  he  said.  "  Isn't  that 
so,Tagg?" 

"  Wuss  nor  sin,  cap'n.  Ord'nary  manslaughter  isn't 
in  it  with  a  nor'-east  gale  on  a  dark  night  off  them 
islands  north  o'  Perim." 

"Exactly,"  agreed  the  Baron  eagerly.  "That  is 
where  the  Roman  triremes  were  caught.  They  were 
driven  ashore  in  a  little  bay  in  what  is  now  Italian 
territory.  Their  vessels  were  wrecked,  but  they  saved 
the  loot  they  had  taken  from  the  Sabseans.  The  nature 
and  value  of  that  loss  can  hardly  be  estimated  in  these 
days,  but  you  can  draw  your  own  conclusions  when  you 
learn  that  the  city  of  Saba  is  more  familiar  to  us  under 
its  Biblical  name,  Sheba.  It  was  thence  that  the 
famous  queen  came  who  visited  Solomon.  Nearly  a 
thousand  years  later,  when  the  Roman  legion  sacked 
it  with  fire  and  sword,  it  was  at  the  height  of  its 
glory." 

Von  Kerber,  fairly  launched  in  a  recital  glib  on  his 
lips,  regained  the  dominance  of  manner  which  the 
attitude  of  his  subordinates  had  momentarily  imperiled. 
Increased  composure  brought  with  it  a  certain  hauteur, 
and  he  paused  again  —  perhaps  to  gratify  the  actor's 
instinct  in  him  rather  than  observe  the  effect  of  his 
words.  But  the  break  was  unfortunate.  Tagg  re- 
moved the  cigar  he  was  half  chewing,  half  smoking, 
and  said  oracularly: 

63 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"  The  Queen  o'  Sheba !  I  once  knew  a  ship  o'  that 
name.  D'ye  remember  her,  cap'n?" 

"  Shall  I  ever  forgit  'er  ?  "  grunted  Stump.  "  I  wish 
them  Romans  had  looted  her.  Wen  I  was  goin'  down 
the  Hooghly,  she  was  comin'  up,  in  tow.  Her  rope 
snapped  at  the  wrong  moment,  an'  she  ran  me  on  top 
of  the  James  an'  Mary  shoal.  Remember  'er,  damn 
'er!" 

The  Austrian  winced  at  this  check  to  his  story. 
These  stolid  mariners  had  no  imagination.  He  wished 
to  enthuse  them,  to  fire  them  with  the  vision  of  count- 
less wealth,  but  they  had  side-tracked  ideality  for  some 
stupid  reminiscence  of  a  collision.  In  a  word,  they 
did  him  good,  and  he  reached  the  point  of  his  narration 
all  the  more  speedily. 

"As  I  was  saying,"  he  broke  in  rapidly,  "the  ex- 
pedition met  with  disaster  by  sea.  It  was  equally 
unfortunate  on  land.  The  commander  built  a  small 
encampment,  and  sent  for  assistance  the  only  sea- 
worthy vessel  left  to  him.  He  waited  six  months, 
but  no  help  came.  Then  he  determined  to  march 
inland  —  to  strike  a  bold  course  for  the  Nile  —  but 
he  was  soon  compelled  to  entrench  himself  against  the 
attacks  of  hostile  tribes.  The  probability  is  that  the 
Sabseans  had  interests  on  the  western  shores  of  the  Red 
Sea  as  well  as  in  Arabia.  Indeed,  the  Abyssinians 
hold  the  belief  to  this  day  that  their  kings  are  descended 
from  a  son  of  the  Queen  of  Sheba  and  Solomon.  How- 
ever that  may  be,  ^Elius  Gallus  buried  his  treasure, 
threw  aside  all  useless  impediments,  and,  like  the 

64 


Von  Kerber  Explains 

daring  soldier  he  was,  decided  in  favor  of  attack. 
He  fought  his  way  for  twenty  marches,  but  was  finally 
overthrown,  with  all  his  men,  by  a  Nubian  clan.  The 
Romans  were  slain  without  mercy.  Their  conquerors 
knew  nothing  of  the  gold  and  jewels  hidden  in  the 
desert  three  hundred  miles  distant,  and  that  marvelous 
hoard,  gathered  from  Persia  and  India  by  generations 
of  traders,  has  lain  there  for  nearly  two  thousand 
years." 

This  time  he  was  sure  he  had  riveted  the  attention 
of  his  hearers.  They  would  have  been  dull,  indeed, 
if  their  wits  were  not  stirred  by  the  possibilities  under- 
lying that  last  sentence.  Royson,  of  course,  jumped 
to  conclusions  which  the  others  were  slow  to  reach. 
But  Stump  was  not  backward  in  summing  up  the  facts 
in  his  own  way. 

"  Am  I  right  in  supposin'  that  you  know  where  this 
stuff  is  hid,  Mr.  von  Kerber?"  he  asked,  his  small 
eyes  twinkling  under  the  strain  of  continuous  thought. 

"Yes." 

"  Are  you  positive  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"Does  anybody  else  know?" 

Royson  felt  that  the  Baron  did  not  expect  this  ques- 
tion, but  the  answer  came  promptly : 

"Mr.  Fenshawe  knows,  and  the  two  ladies  who 
accompany  him  have  a  species  of  general  knowledge." 

"If  I  took  c'rect  bearin's,  accordin'  to  your  yarn 
the  cargo  is  planted  some  distance  from  the  coast  ?  " 

"  About  forty  miles." 

65 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"An',  while  some  of  us  goes  after  it,  the  yacht  will 
stand  off  an'  on,  waitin'  orders,  an'  mebbe  runnin'  to 
Perim  or  Aden  for  letters." 

"You  have  grasped  the  situation  exactly,  Captain 
Stump." 

The  skipper  shifted  his  cigar  from  one  corner  of  his 
mouth  to  another. 

"Sink  me,"  he  growled,  "I  thought  it  couldn't  be 
gun-runnin'  when  there  was  wimmin  mixed  up  in  it. 
Didn't  I  say  so,  Tagg  ?  " 

"You  did,"  agreed  Tagg  again. 

"  Gun-running ! "  repeated  von  Kerber.  "  You  mean 
carrying  contraband  arms,  yes?  What  put  that  into 
your  head?" 

"I've  not  bin  cap'n  of  a  ship  nigh  on  fifteen  years 
without  larnin'  the  importance  of  knowrin'  wot  she's 
loaded  with,"  said  Stump.  "Big  or  little,  in  package 
or  bulk,  I  go  through  her  manifest,  an'  check  it,  too." 

The  Baron  laughed  softly.  He  was  pale,  probably 
as  the  result  of  his  wounds,  but  he  was  inflexible  in  his 
resolve  to  arrive  at  an  understanding  with  his  lieu- 
tenants before  the  remaining  passengers  put  in  an 
appearance. 

" Ganz  gut,  herr  capitan!"  he  cried.  "You  must 
have  seen  our  supply  of  firearms  and  cartridges,  yes  ?  " 

"Twenty  rifles,  twenty-five  revolvers,  an'  enough 
ammunition  to  fight  a  small  war."  Stump  ticked  off 
each  item  slowly  and  looked  at  Tagg  as  though  he 
expected  him  to  cry  "  Tally ! " 

"  Ah !  That  is  well  put,  yes  ?  If  we  are  called  on  to 
66 


Von  Kerber  Explains 

fight  a  small  war,  as  you  say,  have  we  got  the  right 
sort  of  men  on  board?  I  had  to  trust  to  chance.  It 
was  the  only  way.  I  could  not  talk  plainly  in  England, 
you  see." 

"I  don't  know  much  about  'em,"  said  Stump.  "I 
can  answer  for  myself  an'  Tagg,  an'  from  wot  I  hear, 
Mr.  King  has  a  heart  of  the  right  size.  As  for  the 
others,  I'll  run  the  rule  over  'em  between  here  an' 
Port  Said.  If  I  have  any  doubts  about  one  or  two, 
we  can  ship  'em  home  on  a  P.  an'  O.  But,  from  the 
cut  of  their  jibs,  most  of  'em  are  deserters  from  the 
Royal  Navy,  an'  the  remainder  are  army  reserve  men. 
That  sort  of  crowd  is  pretty  tough,  eh,  Tagg  ?  " 

"Tough!"  echoed  Tagg.  "If  they're  'lowed  to 
eat  three  solid  meals  every  day  like  the  Lord  Mayor's 
banquets  they've  put  out  o' sight  since  theykem  aboard, 
there'll  be  no  holdin'  'em." 

"Oh,  yes,  there  will.     I'll  hold  'em,"  said  Stump. 

"  And  you  approve  of  my  reticence  thus  far  ?  "  asked 
the  Baron. 

"  Of  your  wot,  mister  ?  " 

"  I  mean  that  it  was  wise  not  to  tell  them  the  object 
of  the  voyage." 

"Take  my  advice  an'  tell  'em  nothin'.  Wait  till 
they're  frizzlin'  in  the  Red  Sea,  an'  I've  worked  some 
of  the  grease  out  of  'em.  By  that  time,  wot  between 
prickly  heat  an'  high  livin',  they'll  be  ready  to  kill  any 
Gord's  quantity  of  I-talians." 

"  Italians ! "  snapped  von  Kerber  irritably,  "  Why  do 
you  speak  of  Italians  ?  " 

67 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"It's  your  fairy-tale,  mister,  not  mine.  You  said 
that  wot's  'is  name,  the  Roman  who  went  through  the 
Shebeens,  had  planted  his  takin's  in  I-talian  territory." 

"  Ah ! "  The  Austrian  gasped  a  little,  and  his  pallor 
increased.  "  That  is  of  no  consequence  —  the  place 
—  is  a  desert  —  we  shall  meet  with  no  interference." 

Then  Royson  spoke.  Hitherto,  he  had  taken  no 
share  in  the  conversation,  but  he  saw  that  von  Kerber 
was  unable  to  withstand  any  further  strain.  The  man 
was  bearing  up  gallantly,  yet  he  had  reached  the  limit 
of  endurance,  and  the  trouble,  whatever  it  was,  seemed 
to  be  wearing  his  very  soul. 

"Neither  Captain  Stump  nor  Mr.  Tagg  knows  that 
you  are  wounded,  sir,"  said  Dick.  "Perhaps  it  would 
be  advisable  to  defer  our  talk  until  the  morning." 

Von  Kerber  shaded  his  face  with  his  hands. 

"I  cannot  add  much  to  what  I  have  said  already," 
he  answered.  "  I  think  you  understand  me.  I  want 
silence  —  and  good  service.  Give  me  these  and  I 
shall  repay  you  tenfold." 

They  went  on  deck.     Stump  dug  Royson  in  the  ribs. 

"  It  would  ha'  done  me  a  treat  to  see  you  upper  cut 
that  Frog,"  he  whispered,  his  mouth  widening  in  a  grin. 
"  I'm  good  at  a  straight  punch  myself,  but  I'm  too 
short  for  a  swing.  Lord  love  a  duck,  I  wish  I'd  bin 
there." 

So  the  burly  skipper  of  the  Aphrodite  paid  slight 
heed  to  the  wonders  half  revealed  by  von  Kerber's 
story.  He  had  been  stirred  but  for  a  moment  when  the 
project  was  laid  bare.  Already  his  mind  was  rejecting 

68 


Von  Kerber  Explains 

it.  The  only  matter  that  concerned  him  was  to  bring 
his  ship  to  her  destination  in  a  seaman-like  manner, 
and  let  who  would  perplex  their  brains  with  fantasy. 
Indeed,  he  was  beginning  to  regard  the  Baron  as  a 
harmless  lunatic,  whom  Providence  had  entrusted  with 
the  spending  of  a  rich  man's  money  for  the  special 
benefit  of  the  seafaring  community. 

"A  straight  punch!"  he  repeated,  gazing  with  a 
species  of  solemn  joy  at  the  men  leaning  against  the 
rails  forward.  "They're  a  hard-bitten  lot  from  wot 
I've  seen  of  'em,  an'  they'll  have  to  have  it  before 
they're  at  sea  with  me  very  long.  Won't  they,  Tagg  ?  " 

"They  will,"  said  Tagg,  eying  the  unconscious 
watch  with  equal  fixity. 

Dick  went  to  his  cabin  firm  in  the  belief  that  he  would 
lie  awake  half  the  night.  But  his  brain  soon  refused 
to  bother  itself  with  problems  which  time  might  solve 
in  a  manner  not  yet  conceivable,  and  he  slept  soundly 
until  he  was  roused  at  an  early  hour.  Day  dawned 
bright  and  clear.  A  pleasant  northwesterly  breeze 
swept  the  smoke  haze  from  off  the  town  and  kissed 
the  blue  waters  of  the  land-locked  harbor  into  white- 
crested  wavelets.  He  took  the  morning  watch,  from 
four  o'clock  until  eight,  and  all  he  had  to  do  was  to 
make  sure  that  the  men  tried  to  whiten  decks  already 
spotless,  and  cleaned  brass  which  shone  in  the  sun  the 
instant  that  luminary  peeped  over  the  shoulder  of 
Notre  Dame  de  la  Garde.  Although  the  Aphrodite 
lay  inside  the  mole,  her  bridge  and  promenade  deck 
were  high  enough  to  permit  him  to  see  the  rocky  islet 


The  Wheel  o   Fortune 

crowned  by  the  Chateau  d'If.  He  knew  that  the  hero 
of  Dumas'  masterpiece  had  burrowed  a  tunnel  out  of 
that  grim  prison,  to  swim  ashore  an  outcast,  a  man 
with  a  price  on  his  head,  yet  bearing  with  him  the 
precious  paper  whose  secret  should  make  him  the 
fabulously  rich  Count  of  Monte  Christo.  It  was  only 
a  soul-stirring  romance,  a  dim  legend  transformed  into 
vivid  life  by  the  genius  of  the  inspired  quadroon.  But 
its  extraordinary  appositeness  to  the  Aphrodite's  quest 
suddenly  occurred  to  the  young  Englishman  watching 
the  sunlit  isle.  He  was  startled  at  the  thought,  espe- 
cially when  he  contrasted  his  present  condition  with  his 
depressed  awakening  in  Brixton  five  days  earlier. 
Then  he  laughed,  and  a  sailor,  busily  engaged  in 
polishing  the  glass  front  of  the  wheel-house,  followed 
the  direction  of  his  gaze  and  half  interpreted  his  day- 
dream. 

"It's  a  bit  of  a  change  from  the  West  India  Dock 
Road,  ain't  it,  sir?"  he  asked. 

Royson  agreed  with  him,  and  the  two  conversed  a 
while,  but  when  the  man  led  the  chat  round  to  the 
probable  destination  of  the  yacht,  the  second  mate's 
thoughts  fell  from  romance  to  reality. 

"You  will  be  told  soon  enough  where  we're  bound 
for,"  he  answered  sharply. 

"I'm  sorry,  sir,  if  I've  said  anything  I  shouldn't," 
said  the  other.  "  But  the  chaps  forrard  made  out  that 
there's  a  bit  of  a  mystery  in  it,  an'  I  argied  they  was 
talkin'  nonsense." 

"You  were  quite  right.  The  owner  and  a  party  of 
70 


Von  Kerber  Explains 

ladies  will  oe  on  board  to-day,  and  then  you  will  find 
out  our  destination." 

"Ladies,  you  say,  sir?  That  settles  it.  This  is  no 
Riff  pirates  job,  then  ?  " 

Royson  turned  on  his  heel.  So  others,  as  well  as 
Captain  Stump,  had  drawn  conclusions  from  those 
boxes  of  arms  and  ammunition  ?  If  Baron  Franz  von 
Kerber  deemed  it  necessary  to  provide  a  warlike  equip- 
ment, how  could  he  permit  an  elderly  gentleman  like 
Mr.  Fenshawe,  and  a  charming  girl  like  Irene,  to  say 
nothing  of  others  yet  unknown  to  Royson,  to  share  in 
the  risk  of  a  venture  demanding  such  safeguards? 
That  was  a  puzzle,  but  it  disturbed  Dick  not  a  whit. 
Somehow,  the  mention  of  the  desert  and  its  secret 
hoard  had  stirred  him  strangely.  It  seemed  to  touch 
unknown  springs  in  his  being.  He  felt  the  call  of  the 
far-flung  solitude,  and  his  heart  was  glad  that  fortune 
had  bound  up  his  lot  with  that  of  the  winsome  woman 
who  smiled  on  him  so  graciously  when  they  parted  in 
Hyde  Park. 

Then  a  steward  announced  breakfast,  and  the 
mirage  vanished.  Captain  Stump's  greeting  showed 
that  his  slumbers  had  not  been  disturbed  by  golden 
visions. 

"Mornin',"  he  said.  "I've  just  bin  tellin'  Tagg." 
Seeing  that  his  second  officer  was  not  enlightened  by 
this  remark  he  went  on: 

"You'll  want  his  help  if  I'm  not  alongside.  Bless 
your  'eart,  you  can  depend  on  Tagg.  He'll  never  give 
you  away.  He  thinks  the  world  of  you  already." 

71 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

The  reminder  was  useful,  though  not  in  the  sense 
intended  by  Stump.  It  brought  Royson  back  to  earth. 
He  felt  that  he  must  justify  himself  if  he  would  win  his 
way  among  these  rough  sea-dogs.  Hence,  when  a 
railway  omnibus  lumbered  along  the  quay,  and  pulled 
up  in  front  of  the  yacht's  gangway,  he  remembered 
that  he  was  Mr.  King,  probationary  second  mate  on  a 
small  vessel,  and  not  Richard  Royson,  heir  to  a  baro- 
netcy and  rightful  successor  to  an  estate  with  a  rent- 
roll  of  five  thousand  a  year. 

Mr.  Fenshawe,  exceedingly  alert  for  one  of  his  age, 
helped  two  ladies  to  alight.  The  first  was  Irene.  Her 
admiring  glance  at  the  Aphrodite,  no  less  than  an 
exclamation  of  delighted  interest,  revealed  that  she, 
too,  like  everyone  else,  was  a  stranger  to  the  ship. 
She  was  followed  by  a  pretty  woman,  whose  clothes 
and  furs  were  of  a  fashion  which  told  even  a  mere  man 
that  she  was  a  person  of  consequence.  This  was  Mrs. 
Haxton,  and  her  first  action  caused  Dick  to  dislike  her, 
because  she  deliberately  turned  her  back  on  the  smart 
yacht,  and  gave  heed  only  to  the  safe  lowering  of  cer- 
tain trunks  from  the  roof  of  the  omnibus.  He  heard 
the  manner  of  her  speech  to  a  neatly  dressed  maid 
and  its  languid  insolence  did  not  help  to  dissipate  that 
unfavorable  impression. 

Miss  Fenshawe  ran  along  the  gangway.  Royson 
had  stationed  a  sailor  at  the  shoreward  end,  while  he 
held  the  rail  to  steady  it  on  deck. 

"Good  morning,  Mr.  King,"  she  cried.  "Has  not 
Baron  von  Kerber  arrived  ?  " 

72 


'Good  morning,  Mr.  King,"  she  cried  Page  72 


Von  Kerber  Explains 

"Yes,"  he  said.     "He  came  aboard  late  last  night." 

"  Then  why  is  he  not  here  to  meet  us  ?  " 

"  I  believe  he  is  fatigued  after  the  long  journey,  Miss 
Fenshawe." 

"Fatigued!  Fiddlesticks!  Look  at  my  grandfather. 
Is  he  fatigued  ?  And  we  have  traveled  over  the  same 
route.  But  I  will  deal  with  the  lie-abed  Baron  when 
I  see  him.  What  a  nice  boat  the  Aphrodite  is.  I  am 
in  love  with  her  already.  And  is  that  Captain  Stump  ? 
Good  morning,  captain.  I  have  heard  about  you. 
Baron  von  Kerber  says  you  will  bite  my  head  off  if  I 
come  on  the  bridge.  Is  that  true  ?  " 

"Shows  how  little  Mr.  von  Kerber  reely  knows 
about  me,  ma'am,"  said  Stump  gallantly,  beaming 
on  her  over  the  rail  of  the  small  upper  deck. 

By  this  time,  Mrs.  Haxton  had  satisfied  herself  that 
the  Aphrodite's  crew  might  be  trusted  to  bring  her 
boxes  on  board  without  smashing  them,  and  she 
gathered  her  skirts  carefully  to  keep  them  clear  of  the 
quay.  She  raised  a  lorgnon,  mounted  on  a  tortoise- 
shell  and  silver  handle,  and  examined  the  yacht  with 
measured  glance.  She  honored  the  stalwart  second 
officer  with  a  prolonged  stare. 

"Is  that  the  captain?"  she  said  to  Mr.  Fenshawe, 
who  was  waiting  to  escort  her  on  board. 

"No.  That  is  Mr.  King,  the  young  man  Irene  told 
you  about." 

"Oh,  indeed!  Rather  an  Apollo  Belvidere,  don't 
you  think?" 

"He  seems  to  be  a  nice  young  fellow,  quite  well- 
73 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

mannered,  and  that  sort  of  thing.  And  it  imposes 
somewhat  of  a  strain  on  the  imagination  to  picture 
him  in  the  scant  attire  popular  at  Delphi." 

Mr.  Fenshawe  was  not  without  a  dry  humor,  but 
Mrs.  Haxton  was  pleased  to  be  amused. 

"What  a  light-hearted  creature  you  are!"  she  cried. 
"I  envy  you  your  high  spirits.  Personally,  I  feel 
utterly  downcast  at  the  prospect  of  a  sea  voyage.  It 
always  blows  a  mistral,  or  some  other  horrid  thing, 
when  I  cross  the  Mediterranean.  Are  you  sure  that 
little  bridge  won't  move  the  instant  I  step  on  it?  I 
have  quite  an  aversion  to  such  jim-crack  appliances." 

Mrs.  Haxton's  timidity  did  not  prevent  her  from 
noting  the  arrival  of  a  telegraph  messenger  on  a  bicycle. 
He  was  reading  the  name  of  the  yacht  when  she 
said: 

"  Come  here,  boy.     Have  you  a  telegram  for  me  ? " 

She  used  excellent  French,  and  the  messenger  handed 
her  the  small  blue  envelope  he  was  carrying.  The 
lady  dropped  her  eyeglasses,  and  scanned  the  address 
quickly  before  she  read  it  aloud. 

"Richard  Royson,  British  Yacht  Aphrodite,  Mar- 
seilles," she  announced,  after  a  moment's  pause. 

"  Who  is  Richard  Royson  ? "  she  went  on,  looking 
from  Mr.  Fenshawe  to  the  nearest  officer  of  the  ship, 
who  happened  to  be  Royson  himself. 

The  incident  was  so  unexpected  that  Dick  reddened 
and  hesitated.  Yet  he  saw  no  reason  why  he  should 
not  proclaim  himself. 

"That  message  is  meant  for  me,  madam,"  he  said. 
74 


Von  Kerber  Explains 

"For  you?  But  Mr.  Fenshawe  has  just  said  that 
your  name  is  King  ?  " 

"  Baron  von  Kerber  bestowed  that  name  on  me,  but 
he  acted  under  a  misapprehension.  My  name  is 
Roy  son." 

"  How  odd !    How  excessively  odd ! " 

Mrs.  Haxton  seemed  to  forget  her  fear  of  the  gang- 
way. Advancing  with  sure  and  easy  tread  she  gave 
Dick  his  telegram.  And  he  was  conscious,  during  one 
unhappy  minute,  that  Irene,  and  Captain  Stump,  and 
Mr.  Fenshawe,  each  in  varying  degree,  shared  Mrs. 
Haxton 's  opinion  as  to  the  exceeding  oddity  of  the 
fact  that  any  one  should  be  masquerading  on  board  the 
Aphrodite  under  an  assumed  name. 


75 


CHAPTER  V 

MISS   FENSHAWE   SEEKS   AN   ALLY 

ROTSON  was  not  in  the  least  nonplussed  by  this 
recurrence  of  a  dilemma  for  which  he  was  not  respon- 
sible. Von  Kerber,  of  course,  could  have  extricated 
him  with  a  word,  but  von  Kerber,  for  reasons  of  his 
own,  remained  invisible.  So  Dick  threw  his  head  back 
in  a  characteristic  way  which  people  soon  learnt  to 
associate  with  a  stubborn  resolve  to  see  a  crisis  through 
to  the  end.  He  ignored  Mrs.  Haxton,  and  spoke  to 
the  captain. 

"I  am  glad  the  question  of  my  right  name  has  been 
raised,"  he  said.  "  When  Baron  von  Kerber  comes  on 
deck  I  shall  ask  him  to  settle  the  matter  once  and  for 
all." 

"  Just  so,"  said  Stump,  "  I  would  if  I  was  you." 

"The  really  important  thing  is  the  whereabouts  of 
our  cabins,"  interrupted  Mrs.  Haxton's  clear  drawl. 

"Take  the  ladies  aft,  —  Mr.  Royson,  —  an'  let  'em 
choose  their  quarters,"  directed  Stump  curtly. 

Dick  would  have  obeyed  in  silence  had  not  Miss 
Fenshawe  thought  fit  to  help  him.  She  had  found 
Mrs.  Haxton's  airs  somewhat  tiresome  during  the  long 
journey  from  London,  and  she  saw  no  reason  why 

76 


Miss  Fenshawe  Seeks  an  Ally 

that  lady  should  be  so  ready  to  bring  a  hornet's  nest 
about  Royson's  ears. 

"We  are  not  in  such  a  desperate  hurry  to  bestow 
our  belongings  that  you  cannot  read  your  telegram," 
she  said  to  Dick.  Then  she  favored  Stump  with  a 
frank  smile.  "I  know  you  mean  to  start  almost 
immediately,  captain,  and  it  is  possible  that  Mr.  Royson 
may  wisli  to  send  an  answer  before  we  leave  Marseilles. 
You  won't  be  angry  if  he  waits  one  moment  before  he 
shows  us  to  our  staterooms  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all,  miss,"  said  the  skipper,  "  he's  at  your 
service.  I  can  do  without  him  —  easy." 

Stump  was  angry  with  Dick,  and  did  not  hesitate 
to  show  it.  A  blunt  man,  of  plain  speech,  he  resented 
anything  in  the  nature  of  double-dealing.  Royson's 
remarkable  proficiency  in  most  matters  bearing  on  the 
navigation  of  a  ship  had  amazed  him  in  the  first  in- 
stance, and  this  juggling  with  names  led  him  to  suspect 
some  deep-laid  villainy  with  which  the  midnight  attack 
on  von  Kerber  was  not  wholly  unconnected. 

But  the  person  most  taken  aback  by  Irene's  self- 
assertion  was  Mrs.  Haxton.  A  firm  attitude  on  the 
girl's  part  came  as  an  unpleasing  novelty.  An  impe- 
rious light  leaped  to  her  eyes,  but  she  checked  the  words 
which  might  have  changed  a  trivial  incident  into  a 
sharp  tussle  for  supremacy. 

"I  am  sorry,"  she  said  quietly.  "Telegrams  are 
important  things,  sometimes.  And  the  messenger  is 
waiting,  too." 

Thus,  under  the  fire  of  many  eyes,  Royson  tore  open 
77 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

the  petit  bleu,  and  read  its  typewritten  contents.      The 
words  were  brief,  but  sufficiently  bewildering: 

"Better  return  to  England  forthwith.  I  undertake 
full  responsibility  for  advice,  and  guarantee  you  against 
loss.  Forbes." 

"Forbes,"  undoubtedly,  was  his  uncle's  solicitor. 
But  how  was  it  possible  that  he  should  have  discovered 
the  name  of  the  yacht  and  her  port  of  departure  ?  And 
why  did  he,  a  methodical  old  lawyer,  not  only  disobey 
his  client's  strict  injunctions  that  no  help  or  assistance 
of  any  sort  was  to  be  given  to  a  rebellious  nephew,  but 
ignore  Dick's  own  wishes,  and  address  him  as  Royson, 
not  as  King? 

There  were  twenty  questions  which  might  be  asked, 
but  staring  at  the  flimsy  bit  of  paper,  with  its  jerky 
lettering,  would  not  answer  any  of  them.  And  the 
issue  called  for  instant  decision.  Already,  in  obedience 
to  a  signal  from  Stump,  men  were  standing  by  the 
fixed  capstans  on  the  mole  ready  to  cast  off  the  yacht's 
hawsers.  Perhaps  Sir  Henry  Royson  was  dying? 
Even  in  that  unlikely  event,  of  what  avail  was  a  title 
with  nothing  a  year  ?  Certainly,  the  solicitor's  cautious 
telegram  might  be  construed  into  an  offer  of  financial 
aid.  That  reading  implied  a  more  cheerful  view  than 
he  had  taken  hitherto  of  his  prospects  with  regard  to 
the  Cuddesham  estate.  Yet,  the  only  way  in  which 
he  could  meet  Mr.  Forbes's  wishes  was  to  spring  ashore 
then  and  there,  if  such  a  proceeding  were  practicable, 
and  abandon  the  adventure  whose  strange  by-ways 
were  already  opening  up  before  his  mind's  eye. 

78 


Miss  Fenshawe  Seeks  an  Ally 

Then  Irene  said  sympathetically: 

"  I  hope  you  have  not  received  any  bad  news,  Mr.  — 
Royson." 

The  captain's  pause  before  addressing  him  by  his 
real  name  was  intended  to  be  ironical.  Not  so  the 
girl's  hesitancy.  Interpreting  Dick's  mood  with  her 
woman's  intuition,  she  felt  that  he  wished  to  drop  any 
subterfuge  now,  no  matter  what  his  motive  might  have 
been  in  adopting  one  hitherto. 

Her  voice  broke  the  spell  which  the  telegram,  with 
its  curious  phrasing,  had  cast  on  him. 

"No,  Miss  Fenshawe,  not  bad  news,  certainly.  In- 
deed, it  was  the  absence  of  any  sort  of  news  that 
troubled  me  for  a  moment.  Chasseur!" 

"  Oui,  nisieu"  and  the  messenger  raised  his  hat. 

"  Voila  ! "  Dick  threw  him  a  franc.  "  //  n'a  pas 
de  reponse." 

"  Merci  bien,  m'sieu\" 

That  spinning  of  a  coin  through  the  air  showed  that 
Royson  had  made  up  his  mind.  He  had  tossed  with 
Fortune,  and  cared  not  who  won. 

The  messenger  drew  away  from  the  gangway,  and 
entered  into  a  conversation  with  the  driver  of  the 
omnibus.  Stump  nodded  to  a  man  on  the  quay.  The 
forward  mooring  rope  was  cleared,  and  fell  into  the 
water  with  a  loud  splash.  Two  sailors  ran  the  gang- 
way on  board.  An  electric  bell  jarred  in  the  engine- 
room,  and  the  screw  revolved,  while  the  rattle  of  the 
steering  chains  showed  that  the  helm  was  put  hard 
a-port.  When  the  Aphrodite  moved  slowly  astern,  her 

79 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

bow  swung  towards  the  mouth  of  the  dock.  The 
indicator  rang  again,  twice,  and  the  yacht,  after  a 
pause,  began  to  forge  ahead.  Another  splash,  and 
the  second  hawser  was  cast  loose.  The  mole,  the 
neighboring  ships,  the  landward  quays  and  the  ware- 
houses thereon,  seemed  to  diminish  in  size  without  any 
perceptible  cause,  and,  in  a  space  of  time  that  might 
have  been  measured  by  seconds  rather  than  minutes, 
the  Aphrodite  was  throbbing  southward. 

Mrs.  Haxton,  whose  eagerness  to  inspect  her 
stateroom  had  gone,  was  hailed  pleasantly  by 
Irene. 

"Now,  because  I  asked  you  to  wait,  you  shall  have 
first  choice,"  she  said.  "Lead  on,  Mr.  Royson.  Let 
us  see  our  dens." 

But  Baron  von  Kerber  came  running  along  the  deck, 
all  smiles  and  welcoming  words,  and  it  was  evident 
that  some  reason  other  than  physical  unfitness  had 
kept  him  out  of  sight  until  the  yacht's  voyage  was 
actually  commenced.  Dick  heard  him  explaining 
coolly  that  he  had  met  with  a  slight  accident  on  arriving 
at  Marseilles  overnight.  Some  difficulty  in  dressing, 
he  said,  combined  with  the  phenomenal  punctuality  of 
the  train  de  luxe,  accounted  for  his  tardy  appearance, 
but  the  ladies  would  find  that  the  steward  had 
everything  in  readiness,  and  Mr.  Fenshawe  was  too 
experienced  a  voyageur  not  to  make  himself  at  home 
instantly.  Rattling  on  thus  agreeably,  he  led  the 
way  aft. 

In  the  midst  of  his  explanations,  he  saw  that  Dick 
80 


Miss  Fenshawe  Seeks  an  Ally 

was  accompanying  the  party,  and  told  him,  rather 
abruptly,  that  his  services  were  not  required.  In  no 
amiable  mood,  therefore,  the  second  officer  went  to 
the  upper  deck,  where  the  skipper  was  growling  his 
views  to  Tagg  about  the  mysterious  incident  of  the 
telegram.  It  was  a  moment  of  tension,  and  something 
might  have  been  said  that  would  tend  to  place  Royson 
and  the  captain  at  arm's  length  if  the  Aphrodite  had 
not  taken  it  into  her  head  to  emulate  Miss  Fenshawe's 
action  by  coming  to  Dick's  assistance.  The  little 
vessel  remembered  that  which  Stump  paid  small  heed 
to,  and  asserted  herself. 

Notwithstanding  her  half-deck  saloon,  with  the  tiny 
chart-house  perched  thereon,  and  the  narrow  bridge 
that  gave  her  a  steamer-like  aspect,  she  was  rigged  as 
a  topsail  schooner,  her  sharp  lines  and  consequent 
extra  length  affording  full  play  to  her  fore-and-aft 
sails.  Her  first  owner  had  designed  her  with  set 
purpose.  It  was  his  hobby  to  remain  in  out-of-the- 
way  parts  of  the  world  for  years  at  a  time,  visiting 
savage  lands  where  coal  was  not  procurable,  and  he 
trusted  more  to  sails  than  to  engine-power.  But 
Stump,  and  his  chief  officer,  and  nearly  every  sailor 
on  board,  being  accustomed  to  steam,  despised  wind- 
jammers, and  pinned  their  faith  to  the  engines. 

With  a  favorable  wind  such  as  was  blowing  at  the 
moment,  or  to  steady  the  yacht  in  a  cross  sea,  the 
captain  would  have  set  a  foresail  and  jib.  To  help 
the  propeller  was  good  seamanship,  but  to  bank  the 
engine-room  fires  and  depend  wholly  on  sails  was  the 

81 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

last  thing  he  would  think  of.  Hence,  the  Aphrodite 
straightway  taught  him  a  sharp  lesson.  While  Stump 
was  ruminating  on  the  exact  form  of  some  scathing 
remark  for  Royson's  benefit,  a  sudden  stoppage  of  the 
screw,  and  an  ominously  easy  roll  over  the  crest  of 
the  next  sea,  showed  that  the  engines  were  idle. 

Stump  hurled  a  lurid  question  down  the  speaking- 
tube.  The  engineer's  equally  emphatic  reply  told  him 
that  there  was  a  breakdown,  cause  not  stated.  Now, 
the  outer  roadstead  of  Marseilles  harbor  is  one  of  the 
most  awkward  places  in  the  Mediterranean  for  a 
disabled  vessel.  Though  the  Gulf  of  Lions  is  almost 
tideless,  it  has  strong  and  treacherous  currents.  The 
configuration  of  the  rocky  coast,  guarded  as  it  is  by 
small  islands  and  sunken  reefs,  does  not  allow  much 
seaway  until  a  lighthouse,  some  miles  distant  from  the 
mainland,  is  passed.  Stump,  of  course,  would  have 
made  use  of  the  ship's  sails  before  she  drifted  into 
peril.  But  he  was  purple  with  wrath,  and  the  necessary 
commands  were  not  familiar  to  his  tongue. 

Therefore,  he  hesitated,  though  he  was  far  from 
remaining  silent,  and  Royson,  never  at  a  loss  when 
rapidity  of  thought  and  action  was  demanded,  took 
the  lead.  He  woke  up  the  crew  with  a  string  of  orders, 
rushed  from  foremast  to  mainmast  and  back  to  the 
bows  again  to  see  that  the  men  hauled  the  right  ropes 
and  set  the  sails  in  the  right  way,  and  had  the  Aphrodite 
bowling  along  under  canvas  in  less  than  two  minutes 
after  the  stopping  of  the  screw.  Not  until  every  sheet 
was  drawing  and  the  yacht  running  free  did  it  occur 

82 


Miss  Fenshawe  Seeks  an  Ally 

to  him  that  he  had  dared  to  assume  unto  himself  the 
captain's  prerogative. 

Rather  red-faced  and  breathless,  not  only  from  his 
own  exertions  but  by  reason  of  the  disconcerting  notion 
which  possessed  him,  he  raced  up  the  short  companion- 
ladder  leading  from  the  fore  deck  to  the  bridge.  Stump 
seemed  to  be  awaiting  him  with  a  halter. 

"I  hope  I  did  right,  sir,  in  jumping  in  like  that," 
gasped  Dick.  "I  thought  it  best  to  get  steering  way 
on  the  yacht  without  delay,  and  — 

"Wot's  yer  name  now?"  roared  Stump,  glowering 
at  him  in  a  manner  which  led  Dick  to  believe  he  had 
committed  an  unpardonable  offense. 

"  Still  the  same,  sir  —  Royson." 

"  I  thought  p'raps  it  might  ha'  bin  Smith,  as  you're 
such  a  lightnin'  change  artist.  Just  bung  in  to  the 
engine-room,  will  you,  an'  find  out  wot  that  son  of  a 
gun  below  there  is  a-doing  of?" 

"  I  will  go  if  you  like,  sir,  but  I  know  nothing  about 
engines." 

"Take  charge  here,  then.  Keep  her  steady  as  she 
goes.  You've  a  clear  course  half  a  mile  to  westward 
of  that  light." 

Stump  disappeared,  and  Royson  found  himself  en- 
trusted with  full  charge  of  the  vessel  ere  she  had  been 
ten  minutes  at  sea.  His  gruff  commander  could  have 
paid  him  no  greater  compliment. 

In  the  engineer,  a  man  from  West  Hartlepool,  the 
captain  met  one  who  spoke  the  vernacular. 

"  It's  no  good  a-dammin'  me  because  there's  a  flaw 
83 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

in  a  connectin'  rod,"  he  protested,  when  Stump's 
strenuous  questioning  allowed  him  to  explain  matters. 
"  I  can't  see  inside  a  piece  of  crimson  steel  any  more'n 
you  can." 

*'  None  of  your  lip,  my  lad,  or  I'll  find  flaws  all  over 
you,  P.  D.  Q.  Can  you  fix  this  mess  at  sea,  or  must 
we  put  back  ?  " 

The  engineer  quailed  under  Stump's  bovine  eye. 

"  It  would  be  better  to  put  back,  sir.  I  may  be  able 
to  manage,  but  it's  doubtful." 

Stump  went  aft  to  consult  von  Kerber.  So  speedily 
had  the  yacht's  mishap  been  dealt  with  that  no  member 
of  the  saloon  party  was  aware  of  it,  though  any  sailor 
among  them  would  have  recognized  instantly  that  the 
vessel  was  traveling  under  canvas.  The  Baron,  when 
he  heard  what  had  taken  place,  was  most  emphatic  in 
vetoing  the  suggestion  that  the  Aphrodite  should  return 
to  Marseilles,  and  Stump  was  equally  determined  not 
to  sail  through  the  Straits  of  Bonifacio  in  half  a  gale 
of  wind.  As  a  compromise,  a  course  was  shaped  for 
Toulon,  and  that  port  was  made  during  the  afternoon. 
It  was  the  wisest  thing  to  do,  under  the  circumstances. 
Toulon  is  the  French  naval  base  for  the  Mediterranean, 
and  her  marine  chantiers  not  only  repaired  the  engines 
in  a  few  hours,  but  supplied  a  set  of  spare  parts,  a  wise 
precaution  in  view  of  the  yacht's  probable  sojourn  in 
a  locality  where  castings  would  be  unattainable. 

Thenceforth  the  voyage  proceeded  smoothly.  Roy- 
son  took  the  first  opportunity  of  explaining  to  von 
Kerber  how  and  why  the  mistake  as  to  his  name  had 

84 


Miss  Fenshawe  Seeks  an  Ally 

arisen,  and  the  Baron  only  smiled,  in  his  superior  way, 
having  recovered  his  somewhat  domineering  manner 
from  the  hour  that  the  French  coast-line  sank  beneath 
the  horizon. 

Stump  soon  ascertained  that  the  Aphrodite  made 
better  weather  and  faster  running  as  a  schooner  than 
as  a  steamship  when  the  wind  suited,  and  Royson's 
position  on  board  was  rendered  all  the  more  secure 
thereby.  For  the  rest,  Dick  lived  the  humdrum  life 
of  the  ship.  Naturally,  he  saw  a  good  deal  of  the 
occupants  of  the  saloon,  but  the  acquaintance  did  not 
progress  beyond  formalities.  The  two  ladies  read,  and 
walked,  and  played  bridge  with  Mr.  Fenshawe  and  the 
Baron.  They  took  much  interest  in  Stromboli  and 
the  picturesque  passage  through  the  Straits  of  Messina, 
and  the  red  glare  of  Etna  kept  them  on  deck  for  hours. 
Then  the  yacht  settled  down  for  the  run  to  Port  Said, 
and  arrived  at  that  sunlit  abode  of  rascality  on  the 
first  of  November. 

Here  the  stores  and  coal  bunkers  were  replenished, 
but  no  member  of  the  crew  was  allowed  to  land. 
Cablegrams,  letters,  and  newspapers  came  in  bundles 
for  the  cabin-folk.  The  only  communication  of  any 
sort  for  officers  or  men  was  a  letter  addressed  to  Royson 
by  name.  Von  Kerber  constituted  himself  postman, 
and  he  brought  the  missive  to  Dick  in  person,  but  not 
until  the  Aphrodite  had  entered  the  canal  after  shipping 
her  French  pilot  and  search-light. 

He  was  annoyed,  though  he  veiled  his  ill-humor 
under  an  affected  carelessness. 

85 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"How  came  you  to  give  Port  Said  as  a  port  of  call 
to  one  of  your  correspondents  ?  "  he  asked. 

"I  did  not,"  said  Dick,  whose  surprise  was  genuine 
enough  to  disarm  suspicion. 

"Then  some  one  has  made  a  very  accurate  guess, 
yes  ?  "  sneered  the  other. 

"I  expected  no  letter  from  any  person  under  the  sun, 
and  I  certainly  told  no  one  I  was  passing  through 
Port  Said,  for  the  sufficient  reason  that  I  never  even 
thought  of  the  place  until  you  informed  me  yourself, 
sir,  that  we  were  bound  for  the  Red  Sea." 

"It  is  strange.  Well,  here  is  your  letter.  Perhaps, 
when  you  have  read  it,  you  may  understand  how  the 
thing  has  happened.  I  wished  our  destination  to  re- 
main hidden  from  the  general  public,  and  you  are  the 
only  man  on  board,  except  Mr.  Fenshawe  and  myself, 
whose  whereabouts  are  known  in  London." 

Now  it  chanced  that  the  postmark  was  illegible, 
and,  furthermore,  that  von  Kerber  had  already  read 
the  letter  by  adopting  the  ingenious  plan  of  the  Russian 
censor,  who  grips  the  interior  sheet  in  an  instrument 
resembling  a  long,  narrow  curling-tongs,  and  twists 
steadily  until  he  is  able  to  withdraw  it  uninjured.  But 
Stiff  legal  note-paper  is  apt  to  bear  signs  of  such  treat- 
ment. Somewhat  later  in  the  day,  Royson  saw  these 
things,  and  was  perplexed.  At  the  moment,  he  merely 
broke  open  the  envelope. 

It  was  a  brief  communication  from  Mr.  Forbes. 

"I  telegraphed  to  you  at  Marseilles,"  it  said,  "and 
have  ascertained  that  my  message  was  delivered  to  you. 

86 


Miss  Fenshawe  Seeks  an  Ally 

I  regret  your  apparent  decision  not  to  fall  in  with  my 
request.  Sir  Henry  Royson  is  ill,  almost  dangerously 
so,  and  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  he  wishes  to  make 
amends  to  you  for  his  past  attitude.  I  received  your 
letter,  wherein  you  stated  that  you  were  shipping  on 
some  vessel  under  the  name  of  King,  but  I  had  little 
difficulty  in  tracing  you  to  Mr.  Fenshawe 's  yacht,  and 
I  do  not  feel  justified  in  recognizing  your  unnecessary 
alias.  Again,  I  advise  you  to  return.  I  am  sure  that 
your  employer,  a  most  estimable  man,  will  not  place 
any  difficulties  in  your  way.  If  you  leave  the  Aphrodite 
at  Port  Said  or  Ismalia,  and  send  me  a  cablegram,  I 
will  remit  by  cable  funds  sufficient  for  your  needs." 

Dick  had  deemed  this  disturbing  problem  dead  and 
done  with.  He  had  not  hesitated  at  Marseilles,  nor 
was  he  less  decided  now.  He  held  out  the  letter  to 
von  Kerber  frankly,  little  thinking  how  close  a  scrutiny 
had  been  given  to  his  face  while  he  was  learning  its 
contents. 

"Read  it,"  he  said,  "and  you  will  see  for  yourself 
that  I  am  in  no  way  responsible." 

Von  Kerber  seemed  to  be  taken  aback  by  this  display 
of  confidence. 

"No,  no,"  he  said  loftily.  "I  do  not  wish  it.  I 
have  your  word.  That  is  sufficient." 

"  May  I  send  an  answer  ?  " 

"Yes,  from  Suez." 

And  the  incident  might  have  ended  there  had  it  not 
been  brought  into  sharp  prominence  that  evening. 
Mr.  Tagg  took  the  first  watch,  from  eight  o'clock  to 

87 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

midnight.  Under  ordinary  conditions,  Royson,  who 
was  free  until  four  in  the  morning,  would  have  gone 
to  his  cabin  and  slept  soundly.  But,  like  many  another 
who  passes  through  the  great  canal  for  the  first  time, 
he  could  not  resist  the  fascination  of  the  ship's  noiseless, 
almost  stealthy,  passage  through  the  desert. 

After  supper,  while  enjoying  a  pipe  before  turning  in, 
he  went  forward  and  stood  behind  the  powerful  electric 
lamp  fitted  in  the  bows  to  illumine  the  narrow  water- 
lane  which  joins  East  and  West.  The  broad  shaft  of 
light  lent  a  solemn  beauty  to  the  bleak  wastes  on  either 
hand.  In  front,  the  canal's  silvery  riband  shimmered 
in  magic  life.  Its  nearer  ripples  formed  a  glittering 
corsage  for  the  ship's  tapered  stem,  and  merged  into 
a  witches'  way  of  blackness  beyond.  The  red  signal 
of  a  distant  gare,  or  station,  or  the  white  gleam  of  an 
approaching  vessel's  masthead  light,  shone  from  the 
void  like  low-pitched  stars.  Overhead  the  sky  was  of 
deepest  blue,  its  stupendous  arch  studded  with  stars 
of  extraordinary  radiance,  while  low  on  the  west  could 
be  seen  the  paler  sheen  of  departing  day.  At  times  his 
wondering  eyes  fell  on  some  Arab  encampment  on  the 
neighboring  bank,  where  shrouded  figures  sat  round  a 
fire,  and  ghostly  camels  in  the  background  raised  un- 
gainly heads  and  gazed  at  the  ever-mysterious  sight  of 
the  moving  ship. 

The  marvelous  scene  was  at  once  intimate  and  re- 
mote. Its  distinguishable  features  had  the  sense  of 
nearness  and  actuality  of  some  piece  of  splendid  stage- 
craft, yet  he  seemed  to  be  peering  not  at  the  rigid  out- 

88 


Miss  Fenshawe  Seeks  an  Ally 

lines  of  time  but  rather  into  the  vague,  almost  terrifying, 
depths  of  eternity.  And  it  was  a  bewildering  fact  that 
this  glimpse  into  the  portals  of  the  desert  was  no  new 
thing  to  him.  Though  never  before  had  his  mortal 
eyes  rested  on  the  far-flung  vista,  he  absorbed  its  sooth- 
ing glamour  with  all  the  zest  of  one  who  came  back  to 
a  familiar  horizon  after  long  sojourn  in  pent  streets 
and  tree-shrouded  valleys. 

Time  and  again  he  strove  to  shake  off  this  eerie 
feeling,  but  it  was  not  to  be  repelled.  He  fought  against 
its  dominance,  and  denounced  its  folly,  yet  his  heart 
whispered  that  he  was  not  mistaken,  that  the  majestic 
silence  conveyed  some  thrilling  message  which  he  could 
not  understand.  How  long  he  stood  there,  and  how 
utterly  he  had  yielded  to  the  strange  prepossession  of 
his  dream,  he  scarce  realized  until  he  heard  a  soft 
voice  close  behind  him. 

"Is  that  you,  Mr.  Royson?"  it  said,  and  he  was 
called  back  from  the  unknown  to  find  Miss  Fenshawe 
standing  near. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,"  he  stammered.  "I  was  —  so 
taken  up  with  this  —  to  me  —  most  entrancing  ex- 
perience —  " 

"That  you  did  not  hear  my  fairy  footsteps,"  she 
broke  in,  with  a  quiet  laugh.  "  Do  not  apologize  for 
that.  I  am  wearing  list  slippers,  so  my  ghostlike 
approach  is  easily  accounted  for.  And  I  am  really 
very  greatly  relieved  at  having  found  you  at  all.  I  was 
afraid  you  had  left  the  ship  without  my  knowledge." 

"  But  how  could  that  be  possible,  Miss  Fenshawe  ? " 
89 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

he  asked,  startled  out  of  his  reverie  by  her  peculiar 
phrase. 

"Please  don't  speak  so  loudly,"  she  said,  dropping 
her  voice  almost  to  a  whisper.  "I  have  been  looking 
for  you  during  the  past  half  hour.  I  came  here  twice, 
but  you  were  so  wrapped  up  in  shadow  that  I  failed  to 
see  you,  and  I  was  becoming  quite  anxious,  because  one 
of  the  men  assured  me  you  were  not  in  your  cabin." 

Dick  caught  a  flurried  note  in  her  utterance,  a  strained 
desire  to  avoid  the  semblance  of  that  anxiety  which  she 
had  just  admitted.  It  puzzled  him  quite  as  much  as 
the  curious  sense  of  familiarity  with  his  surroundings, 
a  sense  which  the  girl's  unexpected  appearance  had  by 
no  means  dispelled.  And  he  was  oddly  conscious  of  a 
breaking  away  of  the  social  barrier  of  whose  existence 
she,  at  least,  must  have  been  convinced.  The  mere 
whispering  together  in  this  lonely  part  of  the  ship  might 
account  for  it,  to  some  extent,  so  he  braced  himself  for 
the  effort  to  restore  her  self-control. 

"I  came  here  to  have  a  good  look  at  the  desert  by 
night,"  he  said.  "You  may  be  sure,  Miss  Fenshawe, 
that  I  had  little  notion  you  were  searching  for  me.  It 
was  by  the  merest  accident  that  I  was  able  to  stow 
myself  out  of  sight  in  this  particular  locality." 

She  laughed  softly  again,  and  her  manner  became 
perceptibly  less  constrained. 

"  A  big  man  and  a  small  ship  —  is  that  it  ? "  she 
asked.  "Tell  me,  Mr.  Royson,  why  did  that  officer 
of  the  Guards  call  you  '  King  Dick '  on  the  morning  of 
the  carriage  accident?" 

90 


Miss  Fenshawe  Seeks  an  Ally 

Had  the  girl  racked  her  brain  for  a  day  to  frame  a 
question  intended  to  perplex  Royson  she  could  not  have 
hit  on  one  of  more  penetrating  effect.  He  was  astounded 
not  because  she  had  heard  Paton's  exclamation,  but  by 
reason  of  the  flood  of  light  which  her  recollection  of  it 
at  that  moment  poured  on  his  own  wandering  thoughts. 

"  It  is  a  most  amazing  thing  that  you  should  ask  me 
that,  Miss  Fenshawe,"  he  cried. 

"Sh-s-s-h.  I  have  always  imagined  you  to  be  a  man 
who  would  smile  in  the  midst  of  earthquakes,  yet  here 
you  are  quite  dazzled  by  a  harmless  bit  of  feminine 
curiosity.  Don't  you  wish  me  to  know  how  you  came 
by  that  nickname  ?  I  suppose  it  is  one  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  other  in  whom  I  would  confide  so  will- 
ingly," he  said.  "Promise  you  will  not  laugh  at  me 
if  I  tell  you  more  than  you  bargain  for." 

"  What  ?    Is  there  humor  in  the  story  ?  " 

"  Let  us  see.  I  am  hardly  a  fair  judge.  At  present 
I  am  more  than  mystified.  It  is  easy  enough  to  explain 
why  I  was  called  'King  Dick'  at  school.  That  is  a 
mere  preface  to  my  romance.  One  of  the  cherished 
traditions  of  my  family  is  that  we  are  lineal  descendants 
of  King  Richard  the  First  of  England." 

"  Good  gracious ! " 

"  The  statement  lends  itself  to  disbelief,  I  admit  — " 

"Why  do  you  think  me  disbelieving?" 

"  Pray  forgive  me,  Miss  Fenshawe.  I  am  in  doubt- 
ing mood  myself  to-night.  At  any  rate,  the  lineage  of 
the  Roysons  has  not  been  disputed  during  many  cen- 
turies. Our  name  is  part  of  our  proof,  and  there  has 

91 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

been  a  Richard  Royson  associated  with  Westmoreland 
ever  since  Coeur-de-Lion  returned  from  Palestine. 
That  is  the  kind  of  family  asset  a  boy  will  brag  of. 
Joined  to  a  certain  proficiency  in  games,  it  supplies  a 
ready-made  nickname.  But  the  wonderful  and  wholly 
inexplicable  thing  is  that  while  I  have  been  standing 
here,  watching  our  head-light  dancing  over  the  desert, 
the  fantastic  conceit  has  invaded  my  very  soul  that  I 
share  with  my  kingly  ancestor  his  love  of  this  land,  his 
ambition  to  accomplish  great  deeds  in  its  secret  places, 
his  contempt  and  scorn  of  all  opposing  influences.  Do 
you  remember  how  he  defied  a  rain  of  blood  which 
scared  his  courtiers  ?  One  of  his  friends  has  placed  on 
record  the  opinion  that  if  an  angel  from  heaven  bade 
Richard  abandon  his  work  he  would  have  answered 
with  a  curse.  Well,  I  am  poor,  and  of  slight  conse- 
quence in  the  world  to-day,  but  at  least  it  has  been 
vouchsafed  me  to  understand  what  a  strong  man  and 
a  king  can  feel  when  there  are  those  who  would  thwart 
his  will.  At  present,  I  am  powerless,  as  little  able  to 
give  effect  to  my  energies  as  Richard  himself  when  pent 
in  an  Austrian  prison,  but  I  do  ask  that  some  Blondel 
shall  free  me,  no  matter  what  the  ransom,  and  that 
Fate  shall  set  me  a  task  worthy  of  the  man  who  fought 
and  dreamed  and  planned  empires  out  there  eight 
centuries  ago." 

Royson  threw  back  his  head,  and  stretched  his  right 
hand  toward  the  desert  where  lay  Jaffa  and  Jerusalem. 
He  was  quite  carried  away  by  the  magic  of  the  hour. 
He  had  brushed  aside  the  cobwebs  of  society,  and  spoke 

92 


'  You  need  no  promise  from  me,  Miss  Fenshawe  " 

Page  93 


Miss  Fenshawe  Seeks  an  Ally 

to  Irene  as  a  gallant  and  fearless  youth  might  address 
the  maid  at  whose  feet  he  hoped  to  lay  the  trophies 
gained  in  winning  his  knighthood.  And  she,  as  might 
be  expected,  responded  to  the  passionate  chord  which 
sounded  this  challenge  to  fortune.  She,  too,  forgot 
convention,  for  which  Heaven  be  praised! 

"You  have  my  prayers  for  your  success,"  she  whis- 
pered. "What  is  more,  I  believe  in  you,  and  that  is 
why  I  am  here  now,  for  I  have  come  to  ask  you,  for 
my  sake  and  the  sake  of  one  whom  I  love,  not  to  leave 
this  ship  until  I  bid  you." 

At  any  other  moment  such  a  request  must  have  had 
a  sinister  sound.  Coming  then,  it  seemed  to  be  a  direct 
answer  to  Dick's  excited  appeal  to  the  unseen  power 
that  governs  men's  lives.  He  turned  and  looked  into 
her  eyes.  She  was  so  near  to  him  that  he  could  see  the 
wondrous  light  shining  in  their  limpid  depths.  He 
felt  the  fragrance  of  her  presence,  the  glow  of  her 
tender  beauty,  and  she  did  not  shrink  from  him  when 
he  placed  a  protecting  hand  on  her  shoulder. 

"You  need  no  promise  from  me,  Miss  Fenshawe," 
he  said,  with  a  labored  utterance  that  was  wholly 
unaccountable  to  him.  "  Twice  already  have  I  refused 
to  leave  you,  though  I  have  been  summoned  to  England 
to  resume  an  inheritance  wrongfully  withheld.  We 
are  stubborn,  we  Richards,  and  we  are  loyal,  too.  It 
was  you,  I  now  believe,  who  snatched  me  from  misery, 
almost  from  despair.  Have  no  fear,  therefore,  that  I 
shall  desert  you." 

"You  have  taken  a  load  from  my  heart,"  she  an- 
93 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

swered  softly.  "You  are  the  only  man  on  board  in 
whom  I  have  any  real  confidence.  I  fear  that  my 
grandfather  has  been  misled,  wilfully  and  shamefully 
misled,  but  I  am  unable  to  prevent  it  for  lack  of  proof. 
But  to-night,  after  dinner,  I  chanced  to  overhear  a 
conversation  with  reference  to  you  which  redoubled 
the  doubts  I  have  felt  ever  since  this  expedition  was 
decided  on.  I  feel  that  I  must  tell  you.  Baron  von 
Kerber  distrusts  you  because  you  are  a  gentleman. 
He  fears  you  will  act  as  one  if  you  have  to  choose 
between  his  interests  and  your  own  honor.  And  to- 
day, since  your  letter  arrived  — 

"Yes,  ma'am,"  they  heard  Captain  Stump  shout 
from  the  bridge,  "  Miss  Fenshawe  is  forrard,  with  Mr. 
Royson.  You'll  find  it  a  very  pretty  sight  goin'  through 
the  canal  on  a  night  like  this." 

And  Mrs.  Haxton,  hunting  the  ship  for  Irene  —  not 
to  speak  of  Royson  and  the  girl  herself  when  in  calmer 
mood  —  may  have  wondered  why  Stump  should  trum- 
pet forth  his  information  as  though  he  wished  all  on 
board  to  hear  it.  Perhaps  it  was,  as  Dick  already  well 
knew,  that  the  stout  skipper  had  good  eyesight  as  well 
as  a  kind  heart. 


94 


CHAPTER  VI 

AT  THE   PORTAL 

"  WHY  in  the  world  did  you  hide  yourself  in  this  part 
of  the  ship,  Irene?"  cried  Mrs.  Haxton,  advancing 
with  a  rapidity  that  was  in  marked  contrast  to  her  usual 
languid  movements.  "  I  have  been  searching  for  you 
everywhere." 

"I  have  not  hidden  myself,  and  you  must  have 
missed  a  rather  large  section  out  of  your  everywhere," 
said  the  girl,  with  a  coolness  that  Royson  found  ad- 
mirable. 

"  But  Mr.  Fenshawe  wants  you.  He  has  been  vainly 
awaiting  his  partner  at  the  bridge  table  during  the 
past  twenty  minutes." 

"I  would  never  have  believed  grandfather  could  be 
so  callous.  Play  cards  here!  Where  every  prospect 
pleases  and  only  bridge  is  vile!  Let  me  bring  him 
forth  at  once.  Good  night,  Mr.  Royson!  Thank  you 
so  much  for  a  nice  talk.  I  think  I  shall  be  able  now  to 
pass  an  examination  in  the  history  and  geography  of 
the  Suez  Canal." 

Dick  lifted  his  cap,  silently  thanking  Providence  that 
women  were  more  adroit  than  men.  Mrs.  Haxton 
seemed  to  take  no  notice  of  him.  Indeed,  she  had 

95 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

scarcely  spoken  to  him  since  they  met  at  Marseilles, 
and,  were  he  a  vain  man,  such  studied  neglect  on  the 
part  of  a  pretty  woman  might  have  supplied  food  for 
thought.  Yet  it  is  possible  that  Mrs.  Haxton  herself 
would  confess  to  a  certain  chagrin  if  she  realized  how 
small  a  place  she  occupied  in  his  mind  as  he  followed 
her  along  the  deck.  Irene  flitted  in  front,  light-limbed 
and  agile,  humming  gaily  a  verse  of  some  song,  but 
breaking  off  in  the  midst  to  ask  Captain  Stump  not  to 
be  very  angry  if  she  brought  a  party  of  invaders  to  his 
tiny  domain.  She  was  young  enough  not  to  feel  flut- 
tered by  the  knowledge  that  Mrs.  Haxton  had  broken 
in  on  a  somewhat  dangerous  interchange  of  confidences. 
She  knew  that  she  wanted  a  friend  —  some  one  less 
opinionative  than  Mr.  Fenshawe  —  to  whom  she  could 
appeal  for  help  and  guidance  when  difficulties  arose. 
Royson  was  already  a  hero  in  her  eyes,  and  what  more 
natural  than  that  she  should  turn  to  him,  especially 
under  the  circumstances  which  had  come  to  her  knowl- 
edge that  evening?  As  for  Dick,  he  fancied  that  the 
Seuz  Canal  was  one  of  the  roads  to  Heaven. 

Before  he  climbed  into  his  bunk,  however,  he  re-read 
Mr.  Forbes's  letter,  and  noticed  then  that  it  bore 
signs  of  interference,  while  von  Kerber,  if  he  had  not 
opened  it,  must  have  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  it 
came  from  London  solely  because  the  stamp  was  an 
English  one.  Added  to  Irene's  veiled  warning  that  all 
was  not  well  on  board,  this  apparent  tampering  with 
his  correspondence  bore  an  ugly  look.  It  almost  sug- 
gested that  the  Baron  feared  he  was  what  the  London 

96 


At  the  Portal 

inquiry  agent  had  asked  him  to  become  —  the  paid 
spy  of  Alfieri.  He  wondered  what  hold  the  Italian 
had  on  the  man.  Now  that  he  was  able  to  examine 
recent  events  in  perspective,  he  saw  that  von  Kerber 
had  traveled  alone  from  London  with  the  hope  of 
throwing  off  his  track  any  one  who  was  watching  him 
—  and  had  failed.  It  was  evident,  too,  that  neither 
Mr.  Fenshawe  nor  his  granddaughter,  nor  Mrs.  Haxton 
for  that  matter,  took  pains  to  keep  their  whereabouts 
unknown,  because  Dick  had  seen  an  announcement  of 
the  Aphrodite's  cruise  in  a  London  newspaper  brought 
on  board  by  the  pilot.  Von  Kerber's  name  was  not 
mentioned,  but  the  others  were  described  briefly,  the 
reference  to  Mrs.  Haxton  being  that  she  was  "  a  persona 
grata  in  Anglo-Egyptian  society."  Why,  then,  did  the 
Austrian  demand  such  secrecy  from  the  yacht's  crew, 
and  be  so  perturbed  by  the  advent  of  a  letter  addressed 
to  one  of  them  ?  But  Royson's  disposition  was  far  too 
happy-go-lucky  to  permit  of  serious  ponderings  on 
other  people's  business.  He  laughed  and  reddened  a 
little  when  his  mind  swung  round  to  the  more  pleasing 
memory  of  the  girl's  frank  sympathy,  and  he  told  him- 
self, with  deep  and  convincing  earnestness,  that  next 
time  they  met  he  must  guard  his  unruly  tongue,  else  it 
might  run  away  with  him  again,  and  find  her  in  less 
receptive  mood. 

Then  he  fell  asleep,  and  slept  soundly,  too,  in  blissful 
ignorance  of  a  conversation  then  taking  place  in  the 
chart-house,  though  it  had  the  most  direct  bearing  on 
his  own  future. 

97 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

For  von  Kerber  had  seized  the  opportunity,  when 
Mr.  Fenshawe  and  the  two  ladies  went  below,  to  draw 
Stump  into  private  conclave. 

"  We  reach  Suez  to-morrow,  captain,"  he  said,  "  and 
that  will  be  our  last  chance  of  getting  rid  of  any  of 
the  crew  whom  you  think  unsuitable." 

"That's  so,"  agreed  Stump,  "but  I  can't  say  I've 
blacklisted  any  of  'em.  The  on'y  fault  I  find  with 
'em  is  that  there's  too  many  hands  for  the  work." 

"  Ah,  you  regard  them  as  dependable,  yes  ? " 

"Good  for  any  game  you  like  to  put  before  'em," 
was  the  brisk  summary. 

"That  is  what  I  want.  But  tell  me,  captain,  will 
you  be  able  to  replace  Mr.  Royson  ?  I  believe  he  is 
useful  when  it  comes  to  sailing  the  yacht,  yet  I  have 
no  doubt  you  can  dispense  with  him  ?  " 

Stump  was  shrewd  in  a  limited  way.  He  caught 
the  drift  of  von  Kerber's  comment,  and  it  did  not  help 
to  further  the  scheme  which  the  latter  had  in  mind. 

"Mr.  Royson?"  came  the  quick  growl.  ""What  of 
him  ?  Next  to  Tagg,  he's  the  best  man  in  the  crowd." 

"Possibly,  but  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  he 
wishes  to  return  to  England." 

"He  hasn't  said  so." 

"  Not  to  you,  perhaps,  but  I  know  it  is  so,  and  I  do 
not  wish  to  detain  him  when  our  numbers  are  already 
ample  for  all  purposes.  I  am  awkwardly  placed  in 
the  matter,  as  Mr.  Fenshawe  feels  under  a  slight 
obligation  to  him,  so  I  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  pay 
him  off  to-morrow,  on  a  generous  basis,  of  course, 

98 


with  every  allowance  for  the  expenses  of  the  homeward 
passage." 

"Wot?"  said  Stump,  moving  restlessly  under  von 
Kerber's  fixed  gaze.  "D'ye  mean  it,  mister?" 

"  I  do,  most  certainly." 

"Then  you'd  better  fix  the  business  yourself.  You 
engaged  him,  like  the  rest  of  us.  I  like  the  lad,  and  I'd 
take  it  ill  to  be  axed  to  fire  him.  No,  sir.  That  ain't 
in  my  department  this  trip.  It'd  be  a  bird  of  another 
color  if  he  was  no  good.  But  he's  a  first-rater,  an'  I, 
for  one,  will  be  sorry  to  lose  him.  If  you  don't  take 
my  word  for  it,  ax  Tagg.  He  knows  a  man  when  he 
see  him,  does  Tagg,  an'  he  hasn't  forgotten  that  upper 
cut  Mr.  Royson  gev'  a  land  shark  in  Marseilles  when 
the  crowd  set  about  you." 

Stump  was  profoundly  moved,  or  he  would  not  have 
made  such  a  long  speech,  and  von  Kerber  knew  that 
his  flank  attack  had  failed.  Indeed,  the  gruff  sailor 
had  as  good  as  charged  him  with  rank  ingratitude. 

"  Oh,  if  you  think  that  way  about  it,"  said  he  coolly, 
"we  can  let  the  project  drop  for  the  present.  I  was 
only  considering  Mr.  Royson's  own  interests.  Whether 
he  goes  or  stays,  it  does  not  concern  me  in  the  least. 
Have  a  cigarette?  Ah,  you  prefer  a  pipe,  yes?  Well, 
good  night,  captain.  We  shall  not  be  rocked  to  sleep 
by  the  wild  waves  to-night,  I  imagine." 

Stump  joined  Tagg  on  the  bridge.  He  jerked  a 
thumb  after  the  Baron's  retreating  figure. 

"That  German  swab  wants  me  to  boot  Royson," 
he  muttered. 

99 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"Boot  Royson?     The  idee!    Wot  for?" 

"He  piled  it  on  thick  about  wot  he  called  Royson's 
own  interests,  but  I  knew  better'n  that.  It  don't  suit 
his  book  for  our  dandy  second  mate  to  be  sparkin'  the 
owner's  granddaughter  abaft  the  lantern.  You  take 
my  tip,  Tagg,  that  other  woman,  Mrs.  Haxton,  is  as 
mean  as  sin,  an'  she  blew  the  gaff  to-night  when  she 
dropped  on  'em  after  supper." 

"  I've  always  thought  her  a  bit  of  a  cat,"  agreed  Tagg. 

"An'  wot  did  you  say?" 

"Say,  I  tole  'im  to  do  his  dirty  work  hisself.  Mark 
my  words,  Tagg,  he'll  not  tackle  the  job  for  fear  it 
comes  to  the  gal's  ears.  You  watch  him  close  up  like 
an  oyster." 

Stump  was  a  prophet  worthy  of  honor,  though  Dick 
did  not  appreciate  the  Baron's  friendly  solicitude  about 
his  affairs  until  long  afterwards.  But  he  did  learn  by 
chance  how  amply  justified  Irene  was  in  her  fear  that 
he  might  be  asked  to  leave  the  ship.  The  Aphrodite 
was  spinning  down  the  Gulf  of  Suez  late  next  day,  under 
all  her  snowy  spread  of  sail,  when  Royson  went  aloft 
to  assure  himself  that  a  stiff  pulley  on  the  fore  yard 
was  in  good  working  order.  He  found  that  it  needed  a 
slight  readjustment,  and  the  alteration  was  trouble- 
some owing  to  the  strain  of  a  steady  breeze.  He  per- 
severed, put  matters  right,  and  was  climbing  down  to 
the  deck  when,  through  the  foresail,  he  heard  voices 
discussing  none  other  than  himself. 

Mrs.  Haxton  and  von  Kerber  had  strolled  forward, 
and  were  leaning  over  the  side  of  the  ship,  never  dream- 

100 


At  the  Portal 

ing  that  the  man  they  were  talking  of  was  within  a  few 
feet  of  them  above  their  heads,  though  hidden  by  the 
sail. 

"  I  was  exceedingly  surprised  to  find  that  he  was  not 
sent  ashore  with  the  pilot  at  Suez,"  the  lady  was  saying. 
"No  matter  what  his  present  position  may  be,  he  is 
a  baronet's  nephew  and  prospective  heir  it  would  seem. 
It  is  sheer  madness  on  your  part  to  keep  a  man  like 
him  on  board." 

"  But  I  tell  you  that  I  asked  Stump  to  discharge  him, 
and  met  with  a  blank  refusal,"  replied  the  Baron 
irritably. 

"That  is  even  more  amazing.  Are  not  these  men 
your  servants  ?  " 

"Yes,  in  a  sense.  Try  to  understand  me,  Maud. 
I  had  to  select  men  of  good  character,  or  they  might 
fail  me  in  the  hour  of  real  need.  If  you  hire  pirates 
you  must  expect  them  to  act  like  pirates,  yes  ?  Stump 
favors  Royson,  so  he  pointed  out  that  as  I  had  engaged 
him  I  must  dismiss  him.  And  you  know  quite  well, 
if  you  would  only  be  reasonable,  that  any  such  action 
on  my  part  could  hardly  fail  to  arouse  some  measure 
of  doubt  in  Fenshawe's  mind,  which  is  the  very  thing 
we  wish  to  avoid." 

"  I  think  you  are  wrong,  nevertheless." 

"  You  should  not  say  that  if  you  are  not  prepared  to 
tell  me  how  I  could  arrange  an  awkward  business 
better.  And  what  are  you  afraid  of?  He  is  as  keen 
as  any  of  us  for  the  adventure,  and  he  will  be  well 
paid  if  it  succeeds." 

101 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"You  are  a  poor  conspirator,  my  dear  Franz," 
laughed  Mrs.  Haxton  disagreeably.  "  If  you  were 
really  the  clever  person  you  think  yourself  you  would 
know  that  such  a  man  may  leaven  the  whole  crew  with 
his  ideas  of  honor.  And,  when  the  pressure  comes,  he 
will  have  an  excellent  helper  in  that  girl.  She,  too, 
should  have  been  left  at  home.  Oh,  nonsense!  Had 
you  given  me  the  ordering  of  affairs  neither  she  nor 
this  young  down-at-heels  aristocrat  would  be  here  to- 
day. I  am  not  saying  this  merely  to  annoy  you,  as 
you  seem  to  believe,  but  to  warn  you.  Be  on  your 
guard,  Franz.  Things  are  going  too  smoothly.  No 
great  fortune  was  ever  yet  won  without  a  hitch  or  two 
on  the  road,  and  we  are  not  far  from  the  Five  Hills 
now." 

They  moved  away.  Dick  went  back  to  his  pulley, 
surveyed  the  deck  over  the  fore  yard,  and  deferred  his 
descent  until  "Franz"  and  "Maud"  were  at  the 
other  end  of  the  vessel.  Since  they  came  on  board 
they  had  been  "  Baron  von  Kerber  "  and  "  Mrs.  Haxton  " 
in  the  presence  of  others.  What  desperate  game  were 
they  playing  that  demanded  these  small  deceits  — 
what  hazard  of  fortune  was  it  that  gave  rise  to  the 
woman's  Cassandra-like  forebodings?  Von  Kerber 
had  been  candid  enough  in  the  statement  he  put  for- 
ward voluntarily  at  Marseilles.  Any  one  could  guess 
the  uncertainties  of  a  quest  depending  on  a  document 
two  thousand  years  old,  while  its  dangers  were  mani- 
fest. Mr.  Fenshawe  and  Irene  must  be  cognizant  of 
the  open  risks,  and  it  was  idle  to  suppose  that  they  did 

102 


At  the  Portal 

not  appreciate  the  unobtrusive  way  in  which  the 
yacht  was  being  hurried  to  her  destination.  Why, 
then,  should  von  Kerber  and  Mrs.  Haxton  share  some 
secret  understanding,  the  outcome  of  which  was 
doubtful,  and,  above  all  else,  why  should  they  fear  the 
influence  that  a  young  and  unknown  man  might 
exercise  on  the  crew? 

"Egypt  is  the  land  of  riddles,"  mused  Dick,  as  he 
gazed  at  the  russet  and  purple  hills  which  spring  up  so 
suddenly  to  guard  the  strange  sea  thrust  by  nature  into 
the  bosom  of  a  fiery  land.  "  My  best  course  is  to  adopt 
the  attitude  of  the  Sphinx.  I  shall  keep  my  eyes  open 
and  say  nothing." 

He  forgot,  however,  that  the  chief  characteristic  of 
the  Sphinx  is  an  enduring  patience,  and  he  chafed  at 
the  colorless  monotony  of  the  next  few  days.  The 
Aphrodite  crept  under  sail  five  hundred  miles  to  the 
south,  until  the  wind  died  of  sheer  exhaustion.  Then 
the  engines  took  their  turn,  and  the  yacht  exchanged 
the  steady  roll  of  a  topsail  schooner  for  the  quivering 
uneasiness  of  a  steam-driven  ship.  But  sail  or  steam, 
the  pace  was  slow,  and  the  passage  of  the  Red  Sea  left 
its  record  on  the  smart  little  vesssel  in  the  shape  of 
blistered  paint,  gaping  seams,  and  planks  from  which 
the  sweated  pitch  was  no  sooner  holy-stoned  than  it 
oozed  forth  again  to  smear  their  purity.  Though  stout 
awnings  defied  the  direct  fury  of  the  sun  they  could 
not  shut  out  its  glare  and  furnace  heat.  And  the 
human  barometer  showed  the  stress  of  life.  Stump 
was  a  caldron  in  himself,  Tagg  a  bewhiskered  male- 

103 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

diction  in  damp  linen.  The  tempers  of  the  crew, 
stifling  in  crowded  quarters,  suggested  that  they  were 
suffering  from  a  plague  of  boils.  As  a  mere  pastime, 
there  was  an  occasional  fight  in  the  forecastle.  Un- 
happily for  the  disputants,  Stump  had  a  ready  ear  for 
these  frays,  and  he  would  rush  in  to  settle  them  with 
a  vigor  that  left  the  pugilists  prostrate.  Then  he  would 
recover  his  caustic  humor  for  half  an  hour,  and  regale 
Royson  with  yarns  of  things  wot  happened  when  the 
Red  Sea  was  reelly  hot.  This  weather  was  on'y 
warm.  Why,  once  when  he  was  aboard  the  Ocean 
Queen,  her  bunker  gev'  out  six  hours  north  o'  Perim, 
but  he  whipped  the  awnin's  off,  an'  the  sun  kep'  up  a 
head  o'  steam  in  the  boilers  until  she  ran  into  port. 

The  saloon  party  found  existence  more  endurable. 
They  had  adjustable  window-shades,  and  electric  fans, 
and  there  was  a  sheltered  deck  over  their  heads.  So 
they  dozed  away  the  hot  hours  placidly  until  the 
memorable  day  dawned  when  Stump,  after  much  close 
scrutiny  of  charts,  ventured  to  leave  the  safe  channel 
down  the  center  of  the  Red  Sea  and  stand  in  towards 
the  African  coast. 

"  Massowah ! "  was  on  every  tongue,  and  the  general 
listlessness  vanished.  Soon  a  dim  land-line  appeared. 
It  grew  into  a  range  of  barren  mountains,  broken  by 
narrow,  precipice  -guarded  valleys.  Then  a  thin  strip 
of  flat  fore-shore  became  visible.  It  deepened  into  a 
flat  island,  barely  two  miles  long,  and  assumed  a 
habitable  aspect.  A  lighthouse  marked  a  fine  harbor. 
A  custom-house,  a  fort,  several  jetties,  and  a  town  of 

104 


fairly  tall  buildings  stood  clear  from  a  scattered  gather- 
ing of  coral-built  Arab  houses  and  hundreds  of  grass 
and  mat  huts.  In  a  word,  man  had  conquered  the 
wilderness,  and  a  busy  community  had  sprung  into 
being  between  the  silent  sea  and  the  arid  earth. 

While  the  Aphrodite  was  picking  her  way  cautiously 
to  the  anchorage  ground,  Dick,  who  was  on  the  bridge 
with  the  captain,  heard  some  broken  talk  between  Mr. 
Fenshawe  and  the  Baron.  The  latter,  with  subdued 
energy,  was  urging  some  point  which  the  older  man 
refused  to  yield.  The  discussion  was  keen,  and  the 
millionaire  betrayed  a  polite  resentment  of  his  com- 
panion's views. 

"I  am  sure  the  Italian  authorities  will  place  no 
obstacle  in  our  way,"  he  declared  at  last.  "  When  all 
is  said  and  done,  the  interest  of  our  trip  is  mainly 
archeological.  Why  should  you  hold  this  absurd 
notion  that  we  may  be  refused  official  sanction?" 

He  spoke  emphatically,  with  unveiled  impatience. 
Dick  could  not  make  out  the  Austrian's  reply,  but  Mr. 
Fenshawe's  next  words  showed  that,  whatever  the 
matter  in  dispute,  he  had  a  will  of  his  own,  and  meant 
to  exercise  it. 

"It  is  useless  to  try  to  convince  me  on  that  head," 
he  exclaimed.  "I  would  turn  back  this  instant  rather 
than  act  in  the  way  you  suggest.  You  must  allow  me 
to  follow  my  original  plan.  We  shall  obtain  a  valid 
permit  from  the  Governor.  If,  contrary  to  my  expec- 
tation, he  refers  the  final  decision  to  the  Italian  Foreign 
Department,  we  shall  await  cabled  instructions.  Our 

105 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

ambassador  at  Rome  can  vouch  for  us.  He  is  an  old 
friend  of  mine,  and  I  only  regret  that  I  did  not  obey 
my  first  impulse  and  write  to  him  before  I  left  London." 

Von  Kerber  asserted  that  there  was  some  danger  of 
the  Somali  Arabs  becoming  excited  if  they  heard  of 
the.  expedition.  Mr.  Fenshawe  laughed. 

"  Arabs ! "  he  cried.  "  How  long  has  that  bee  buzzed 
in  your  bonnet.  The  only  lawless  tribes  in  this  country 
are  far  away  in  the  interior.  And  even  they  are  apt 
to  think  many  times  before  they  offer  active  resistance 
to  the  passing  of  a  strong  and  well-intentioned  kafila. 
Besides,  my  dear  fellow,  we  must  purchase  some  por- 
tion of  our  equipment  here.  It  is  secrecy,  not  candor, 
that  would  endanger  our  mission.  Believe  me,  you 
are  suffering  from  Red  Sea  spleen.  It  distorts  your 
normal  vision.  You  certainly  took  a  different  view  of 
the  situation  when  we  determined  its  main  features  in 
London." 

Royson  was  careful  not  to  look  at  the  speakers. 
Between  him  and  them  was  seated  Mrs.  Haxton,  and 
he  knew  that  she,  too,  was  an  attentive  listener.  Von 
Kerber  began  to  explain  the  reasons  which  lay  behind 
his  change  of  opinion,  but  Stump's  voice  suddenly 
recalled  Dick  to  his  duties. 

"Stand  by  the  anchor,  Mr.  Royson,"  he  said,  "and 
see  that  everything  is  clear  when  I  tell  you  to  let  go." 

Irene  heard  the  order. 

"I  want  to  watch  the  anchor  flop  overboard,"  she 
announced,  springing  up  from  a  deck  chair.  "I 
think  I  shall  accompany  you,  Mr.  Royson." 

106 


At  the  Portal 

Dick  held  out  his  hand  to  help  her  down  the  short 
companionway.  They  had  not  exchanged  many  words 
since  that  memorable  night  in  the  canal,  and  the  pene- 
trating look  in  the  girl's  eyes  warned  Royson  now  that 
she  was  about  to  say  something  not  meant  for  others 
to  hear. 

"  You  have  not  forgotten  ?  "  she  murmured. 

"No,"  he  answered. 

"When  we  go  ashore  you  must  come  with  us." 

"  How  can  I  make  sure  of  that  ?  " 

"Ask  Captain  Stump  to  send  you  in  charge  of  the 
boat.  Do  you  know  that  an  attempt  was  made  to  get 
rid  of  you  at  Suez  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"It  failed." 

"Yes,  I  know  that,  too." 

"Who  told  you?" 

"I  overheard  a  conversation.     I  could  not  help  it." 

"Well,  once  we  are  ashore  I  may  have  a  chance  of 
explaining  things  fully.  If  necessary,  tell  Captain 
Stump  I  wish  you  to  escort  us." 

They  could  say  no  more.  The  telegraph  rang  from 
"Slow"  to  "Stop  her."  Two  sailors  were  waiting  in 
the  bows,  and  had  already  cleared  the  anchor  from  its 
chocks.  Irene  leaned  against  the  rail.  She  wore  a 
pith  hat,  and  was  dressed  in  white  muslin  for  shore- 
going,  while  a  pink-lined  parasol  helped  to  dispel  a 
pallor  which  was  the  natural  result  of  an  exhausting 
voyage.  Dick  thought  he  had  never  seen  a  woman 
with  a  face  and  figure  to  match  hers,  and  it  is  to  be 

107 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

feared  that  his  mind  wandered  a  little  until  he  was 
roused  by  a  bellow  from  the  bridge. 

"Stand  by,  forrard.     Let  go-o-o!" 

Luckily,  Dick's  office  was  a  sinecure.  The  men 
knew  what  to  do,  and  did  it.  With  a  roar  and  a  rattle 
the  chain  cable  rushed  through  the  hawse-pipe,  and 
the  Aphrodite  rested  motionless  on  the  green  water 
of  the  roadstead. 

The  yacht's  arrival  created  some  stir  on  shore. 
Several  boats  put  off,  their  swarthy  crews  contending 
strenuously  which  should  have  the  valuable  privilege 
of  landing  the  expected  passengers.  Stump  bustled 
down  from  the  bridge  with  the  important  air  of  a  man 
who  had  achieved  something,  and  thus  gave  Royson 
an  unforeseen  opportunity  of  asking  him  about  the 
boat.  The  skipper  swung  himself  back  to  the  upper 
deck,  and  approached  Mr.  Fenshawe. 

"Are  you  goin'  ashore  at  once,  sir?"  he  inquired. 

"Yes,  the  sooner  the  better,  or  the  Government 
Offices  will  be  closed  for  the  day." 

"Mr.  Royson,"  shouted  Stump,  "pipe  the  crew  of 
the  jolly-boat,  an'  lower  away." 

"An  Arab  boat  will  be  much  speedier  and  more 
roomy,"  broke  in  Mrs.  Haxton,  quick  to  observe  that 
von  Kerber  was  not  paying  heed  to  the  captain's 
preparations. 

"You  can  land  in  one  of  those  weird-looking  craft 
if  you  like,"  said  Irene,  "but  I  am  sure  Mr.  Fenshawe 
and  I  would  prefer  our  own  state  barge.  It  is  much 
more  dignified,  too,  and  I  really  think  we  ought  to 

108 


At  the  Portal 

impress  the  natives.     Don't  you  agree  with  me,  Baron 
von  Kerber  ?  " 

There  was  nothing  more  to  be  said.  The  boat  was 
lowered  so  smartly  that  Dick  was  seated  at  the  tiller, 
and  four  ash  blades  were  driving  her  rapidly  shoreward, 
before  the  leading  crew  of  panting  Somalis  reached 
the  ship's  side.  They  secured  two  passengers,  how- 
ever. Mrs.  Haxton,  who  had  declined  a  seat  in  the 
jolly-boat  on  the  score  of  the  intense  heat,  changed  her 
mind,  and  the  captain  elected  to  go  with  her. 

"I  want  to  cable  my  missus,"  he  announced,  "an' 
Massowah  is  likely  to  be  our  last  port  for  some  time. 
If  she  don't  hear  from  me  once  a  month,  she  frets. 
That's  where  Tagg  has  the  pull.  He's  an  orfin." 

Mrs.  Haxton  smiled  delightedly.  She  was  watching 
the  distant  jolly-boat,  and  something  seemed  to  please 
her. 

"Your  second  mate  has  not  visited  Massowah  be- 
fore ?  "  she  said. 

"No,  ma'am." 

"We  shall  be  ashore  first,  after  all.  He  is  heading 
for  the  Government  jetee,  where  a  sentry  will  warn 
him  off." 

"  Oh,  you  know  the  ropes  here,  then  ?  "  said  Stump. 
"Not  many  English  ladies  have  coasted  in  these 
waters." 

Mrs.  Haxton  thought,  perhaps,  that  she  had  aired 
her  knowledge  unnecessarily,  but  she  explained  that 
when  her  husband  was  alive  she  had  accompanied  him 
during  a  long  cruise  in  the  Red  Sea. 

109 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"He  was  interested  in  cable  construction,"  she  said, 
"and  we  visited  Massowah  when  it  was  first  taken  in 
hand  by  the  Italians." 

"  Excuse  me,  ma'am,  but  have  you  bin  long  a  widdy  ?  " 

"  Nearly  five  years." 

"By  gad,"  said  Stump  admiringly,  "you  must  ha' 
bin  a  small  slip  of  a  gal  when  you  was  married!" 

She  laughed,  with  the  quiet  assurance  of  a  beautiful 
and  well-dressed  woman.  Mrs.  Haxton  could  be 
charming  when  she  chose,  and  she  wanted  Stump  to 
act  exactly  in  accord  with  her  own  plans  when  they 
reached  the  town.  By  this  time  the  two  boats  were 
nearly  level,  but  separated  by  a  hundred  yards  or  more. 
The  captain  had  half  risen  to  hail  Dick  when  Mrs. 
Haxton  stopped  him. 

"Let  them  go  on,"  she  cried.  "They  would  not 
take  my  advice.  Now  they  will  find  that  we  have 
beaten  them  by  a  good  five  minutes." 

Stump  knew  quite  well,  of  course,  that  a  broad- 
beamed  English  boat  could  not  compete  with  the  long, 
slim  Somali  craft,  but  he  was  aware  also  that  Miss 
Fenshawe  and  Royson  wished  to  land  in  company. 
So  he  grinned,  and  sat  down  again. 

The  outcome  of  these  cross  purposes  was  curious 
in  many  ways.  As  Mrs.  Haxton  foresaw,  the  jolly- 
boat  was  forbidden  to  land  at  the  main  wharf,  and 
Royson  discovered  that  the  Austrian  did  not  under- 
stand Italian.  It  was  Irene  who  translated  the  orders 
shouted  at  them  by  a  brigandish-looking  soldier,  and 
they  had  to  pull  off  in  the  direction  of  a  smaller  pier 

110 


At  the  Portal 

where  Mrs.  Haxton  and  Captain  Stump  had  already 
disembarked  in  the  midst  of  a  crowd  of  jabbering 
natives. 

"Now,  captain,"  said  Mrs.  Haxton,  with  her  sweetest 
smile,  pointing  to  a  white  building  in  the  distance, 
"that  is  the  telegraph-office.  We  need  not  both 
remain  here  until  our  friends  arrive.  Suppose  you  go 
and  send  your  cablegram  in  peace.  By  the  time  you 
have  written  it  we  shall  be  close  behind  you.  Pray 
don't  wait  on  my  account.  You  see  I  want  to  crow 
over  Miss  Fenshawe." 

"Just  as  you  like,  ma'am,"  said  Stump,  lifting  his 
cap  awkwardly.  He  went  at  the  noisy  mob  like  a 
battering-ram.  "Sheer  off,  you  black-an'-tan  mon- 
grels ! "  he  roared  at  them.  "  Go  an'  ax  some  one  to 
play  on  you  with  a  hose-pipe.  Jow,  you  soors!  D'ye 
think  the  lady  likes  to  be  pisened  ?  " 

He  cleared  a  space,  and  rolled  away  towards  the  town. 
Hence,  he  did  not  notice  a  gaunt  Arab,  whose  flowing 
burnous  and  distinguished  air  singled  him  out  from 
the  mixed  gathering  of  nondescripts  at  the  landing- 
place,  who  bided  his  time  until  Mrs.  Haxton  looked 
in  his  direction.  Then  he  salaamed,  with  a  courtly 
blend  of  deference  and  hauteur,  and  she  beckoned  him 
instantly. 

"You  are  Sheikh  Abdullah?"  she  asked  in  French. 

"Yes,  madam,"  he  replied,  in  the  same  language. 

"You  know  the  town  well?" 

"I  have  been  waiting  here  two  months." 

"Then  two  more  hours  will  not  weary  you.  Von 
111 


The  Wheel  o>  Fortune 

Kerber  Effendi,  or  I,  or  both  of  us,  will  meet  you  out- 
side the  Elephant  Mosque  at  five  o'clock.  Neverthe- 
less, should  there  be  others  with  us,  do  not  speak  unless 
we  address  you." 

"Who  is  he,  the  red  ox?"  demanded  the  Arab, 
gazing  after  the  broad  figure  of  Captain  Stump. 

"He  is  the  captain  of  our  ship,  a  man  of  no  im- 
portance. The  Hakim  Effendi  is  in  the  approaching 
boat.  With  him  is  Fenshawe  Effendi,  the  old,  gray- 
haired  man.  There  is  a  tall  young  ship's  officer  there, 
too.  His  name  is  Royson  —  you  will  not  forget  ?  — 
Royson.  He  is  dangerous.  Regard  him  well.  He 
might  prove  troublesome,  or  useful  —  I  hardly  know 
which  at  present.  Fenshawe  Effendi  speaks  French 
and  Arabic,  Royson  Effendi  French  only.  That  is  all, 
for  the  present.  Leave  me  now." 

"Adieu,  madame.     A  cinq  heures!" 

Drawing  back  into  the  mob  of  natives,  who  were 
pressing  nearer  in  their  eagerness  to  offer  themselves 
for  hire  to  the  Europeans  in  the  boat,  Abdullah  shaded 
his  swarthy  face  under  a  fold  of  his  burnous.  Royson 
leaped  ashore  in  order  to  assist  Irene  to  land.  She, 
with  school-girl  glee  at  emancipation  from  the  narrow 
decks  of  the  Aphrodite,  sprang  on  to  the  low  pier  at  the 
same  instant,  and  laughed  at  his  surprise  at  finding 
her  standing  by  his  side.  They  both  extended  a  hand 
to  Mr.  Fenshawe,  who  refused  their  aid,  saying  that 
the  first  breath  of  dry  air  had  made  him  feel  as  young 
as  ever. 

"There  is  no  tonic  like  it,"  he  said.  " Look  at  Mrs. 
112 


At  the  Portal 

Haxton  if  you  want  a  proof.  She  was  a  lily  in  London 
—  now  she  is  a  rose." 

Excitement,  or  the  prospect  of  success,  had  certainly 
given  the  lady's  complexion  a  fine  tint.  Her  dainty 
profile  offered  a  striking  contrast  to  the  motley  crew  of 
negroid  Arabs  who  surrounded  her.  And  she  came 
to  meet  them  in  a  buoyant  spirit,  though  the  fierce 
sun  was  scorching  her  delicate  skin  through  the  thin 
fabric  of  her  dress. 

"  I  ought  to  have  made  a  wager  with  you,  Mr. 
Royson,"  she  cried,  pronouncing  his  name  very  dis- 
tinctly. "  Our  English-built  craft  cannot  hold  its  own 
against  the  Somali,  you  see." 

Knowing  nothing  of  the  difference  of  opinion  on 
board  the  yacht,  Dick  could  not  fathom  this  sudden 
graciousness  on  her  part.  Before  he  could  answer, 
von  Kerber's  highly-pitched  voice  broke  in. 

"  Why  did  Captain  Stump  come  ashore  with  you  ?  " 
he  asked. 

"To  send  Mrs.  Stump  a  cablegram,  I  believe," 
replied  Mrs.  Haxton  carelessly. 

"He  ought  to  have  asked  my  permission  first." 

The  petulant  words  drew  a  protest  from  Mr.  Fen- 
shawe. 

"My  dear  Baron,"  he  said,  "why  should  not  the 
poor  man  make  known  his  safe  arrival  to  his  wife? 
You  are  not  yourself  to-day.  What  is  it  —  liver  ?  or 
anxiety  ?  " 

"I  have  no  special  reason  for  anxiety,"  cried  von 
Kerber,  almost  hysterically.  Royson  came  to  his 

113 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

relief  by  asking  for  orders  about  the  boat,  but  the 
Austrian  was  so  unnerved,  for  no  visible  reason,  that 
he  hesitated,  and  Irene  answered  for  him. 

"  We  have  arranged  to  dine  on  shore,  at  the  Hotel 
Grande  del  Universe,"  she  said.  "  Mr.  Fenshawe  wishes 
Captain  Stump  and  you  to  join  us,  so  the  boat  may  go 
back  to  the  yacht  and  come  for  us  at  eight  o'clock. 
When  you  meet  Captain  Stump,  please  tell  him." 

"Excellent!"  agreed  her  grandfather,  who  now 
heard  of  the  "arrangement"  for  the  first  time. 
"Really,  Irene,  you  put  things  so  admirably  that  I 
hardly  recognize  my  own  crude  thoughts.  Well,  as 
that  is  settled,  let  us  go  straight  to  the  Governor's 
house.  One  of  these  black  gentlemen  will  pilot  us." 

While  Fenshawe  was  airing  his  Arabic  in  selecting 
a  guide  from  fifty  volunteers,  Dick  gave  instructions 
to  the  boat's  crew.  Mrs.  Haxton,  seeing  that  Irene 
was  all  eyes  for  her  new  and  strange  surroundings, 
read  von  Kerber  a  much-needed  lecture. 

"For  goodness'  sake  gather  your  wits,"  she  mur- 
mured. "You  will  arouse  general  suspicion  by  your 
foolish  precautions.  Now  listen.  Before  five  o'clock 
let  us  all  gather  at  the  hotel  for  tea.  Slip  away  on 
some  pretext,  and  go  instantly  to  the  Elephant  Mosque. 
It  is  in  the  main  street,  three  hundred  yards  to  the  left 
of  the  hotel.  I  shall  join  you  there  if  possible,  but,  in 
any  event,  you'll  meet  Abdullah.  And,  whatever  you 
do,  stop  this  nonsense  about  proceeding  in  secret. 
Ah,  yes,  Irene,  your  grandfather  has  his  hands  full. 
But  he  knows  how  to  manage  natives.  You  will  see 

114 


The  Arab  appraised  Royson  with  critical  eye 


Page  115 


At  the  Portal 

him  in  his  element  when  we  come  to  collect  a 
kafila." 

So,  smiling  and  soft-tongued,  Mrs.  Haxton  turned 
in  response  to  some  delighted  exclamation  from  the 
girl.  They  made  their  way  inland  in  the  wake  of  a 
swaggering  negro,  and,  as  Royson  passed  with  the 
others,  Abdullah,  the  Arab,  appraised  him  with  critical 
eye. 

"By  the  Holy  Kaaba,"  said  he,  "there  goes  a  man! 
I  have  seen  few  like  him,  even  at  Khartoum,  where 
the  giaours  swarmed  in  thousands.  But  he  is  young, 
and  his  flesh  is  soft.  The  desert  will  thin  his  blood. 
And  that  little  bull,  who  went  before  —  he,  too,  should 
feel  the  sap  dry  in  his  bones.  Tomb  of  my  father! 
if  the  Hakim  Effendi  has  brought  such  men  as  these  in 
his  train,  there  will  be  deeds  done  at  the  foot  of  the 
Five  Hills,  and  I,  Abdullah  the  Spear-thrower,  shall  be 
there  to  witness  them." 


115 


CHAPTER 


MBS.    HAXTON   RECEIVES   A  SHOCK 

MR.  FENSHAWE,  renewing  his  acquaintance  with 
Arabic  gutturals,  and  von  Kerber,  walking  apart  with 
Mrs.  Haxton,  in  order  to  learn  how  and  when  she  had 
received  tidings  of  Abdullah,  had  eyes  or  ears  for 
naught  else.  Irene  and  Dick  were  thus  given  a  few 
moments  free  from  listeners,  and  the  girl  was  quick 
enough  to  grasp  the  chance. 

"  You  know  why  we  have  come  here  ?  "  she  asked  in 
a  low  tone,  halting  to  look  back  at  the  belt  of  tiny 
islets  which  secludes  Massowah's  larger  island  from 
the  open  sea. 

"  Baron  von  Kerber  told  us  at  Marseilles,"  said  Dick, 
wondering  what  new  development  had  chased  from 
the  girl's  face  the  smiling  interest  of  a  moment 
ago. 

"Us'?"  she  demanded,  almost  sharply. 

"I  should  have  said  Captain  Stump,  Mr.  Tagg,  and 
myself." 

"What  did  he  tell  you?" 

"The  remarkable  history  of  a  Roman  expedition 
against  the  Sabaeans,  of  a  storm,  a  shipwreck,  the 
burial  of  a  vast  treasure,  and  the  ultimate  discovery  of 

116 


Mrs.  Haxton  receives  a  Shock 

its  hiding-place  by  means  of  a  Greek  papyrus  found 
in  a  tomb." 

"That  is  what  irritates  me,"  said  she,  in  a  sudden 
gust  of  anger.  "His  behavior  is  fautless,  yet  I  am 
certain  that  he  is  acting  in  an  underhanded  way.  I 
have  ventured  to  say  as  much  to  my  grandfather,  but  I 
cannot  obtain  a  shred  of  actual  fact  to  justify  my 
suspicions.  Indeed  Baron  von  Kerber  is  candor 
itself  where  the  genuineness  of  the  papyrus  is  con- 
cerned. Did  he  endeavor  to  explain  Mrs.  Haxton's 
presence,  or  mine?" 

"  When  Captain  Stump  protested  —  before  he  had 
seen  you,  remember  —  against  ladies  accompanying 
us,  the  Baron  said  that  without  you  the  expedition 
could  not  proceed." 

"  Exactly.  That  is  another  bit  of  unconvincing  accu- 
racy. Mrs.  Haxton  has  always  been  an  essential  part 
of  the  scheme.  I  am  here  solely  because  I  did  not 
think  Mr.  Fenshawe  should  be  allowed  to  go  alone  — 
alone  in  the  sense  that  these  people  were  strangers  to 
him,  while  he  was  spending  many  thousands  of  pounds 
for  their  very  great  benefit.  There,  again,  I  find 
myself  in  a  sort  of  verbal  cut  de  sac.  Under  other 
circumstances  I  should  be  delighted  to  take  part  in  an 
adventure  of  this  kind.  Grandad  promised  me  two 
years  ago  that  we  should  pass  the  present  winter  in 
Upper  Egypt.  Unhappily,  Mrs.  Haxton  introduced 
von  Kerber  to  him  at  a  place  in  the  Highlands  where 
we  were  invited  for  the  shooting.  The  instant  he  heard 
of  the  legend  on  that  wretched  scrap  of  paper  all  his 

117 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

old  enthusiasm  for  exploration  work  revived,  and  he 
has  followed  their  plans  blindly  ever  since." 

"  I  hope  you  will  forgive  me  if  I  express  a  somewhat 
contrary  opinion,  Miss  Fenshawe,"  said  Royson. 
"  Your  grandfather  did  not  hesitate  to  run  counter  to 
the  Baron's  wishes  to-day,  for  instance." 

"Oh,  that  is  nothing.  Of  course,  with  his  expe- 
rience of  Egypt,  he  takes  the  lead  in  such  matters. 
What  I  want  you  to  believe  is  this:  Mrs.  Haxton, 
and  not  von  Kerber,  found  that  papyrus,  or  it  came 
into  her  hands  by  some  means.  She  is  the  originator 
of  the  scheme.  She  sought  to  be  included  in  our 
friend's  party  at  Glengarloch  with  the  set  object  of 
meeting  grandad,  whose  interest  in  archeology  is 
known  to  all  the  world.  She  did  not  come  across  von 
Kerber  by  accident,  but  produced  him  at  the  right 
moment.  He  is  not  a  casual  friend,  met  in  Cairo,  as 
she  pretends,  but  a  man  whom  she  has  known  for 
years.  And,  last  in  a  list  of  guessings  which  I  know 
to  be  true,  they  both  fear  some  discovery,  or  interrup- 
tion, or  danger  not  revealed  to  us,  which  may  prevent 
them  from  obtaining  the  wealth  they  hope  to  gain. 
They  are  desperately  poor,  Mr.  Royson.  They  have 
mortgaged  their  credit  to  its  utmost  extent  to  enable 
them  to  keep  up  appearances,  and  they  dread  some 
catastrophe  which  will  interfere  with  our  search, 
though  the  only  authority  we  have  for  the  existence  of 
the  Roman  legion's  loot  is  a  scrap  of  scarcely  decipher- 
able writing,  which,  though  genuine  enough,  may  be 
nothing  better  than  a  madman's  dream." 

118 


Mrs.  Haxton  receives  a  Shock 

"  Have  you  told  Mr.  Fenshawe  these  things  ?  "  asked 
Dick.  His  pledged  word  to  von  Kerber  interposed  an 
awkward  barrier  against  that  complete  confidence 
which  he  would  gladly  have  given  to  one  who  had  so 
curiously  amplified  his  own  doubts. 

"Yes,  everything,  but  he  only  laughs,  and  bids  me 
remember  that  I  am  not  yet  twenty.  He  says  that  there 
are  stranger  things  buried  beneath  the  dust  of  Egypt 
than  all  the  learned  societies  have  succeeded  in  reveal- 
ing. He  is  quite  content  that  the  cruise  of  the  Aphrodite 
should  be  a  wild-goose  chase  so  long  as  the  evidence  of 
the  papyrus  is  proved  to  be  false.  And  that  is  my 
chief  stumbling-block.  Perhaps  you  do  not  realize 
that,  to  an  antiquarian,  the  search  yields  as  keen 
pleasure  as  the  find.  The  cost  of  this  expedition  is  a 
matter  of  no  consequence  to  my  grandfather,  and  I 
repeat  that,  under  other  conditions,  I  should  regard  it 
as  a  most  enjoyable  and  memorable  excursion.  But 
these  two  people  have  made  me  nervous,  and  that  is 
why  I  was  determined  they  should  not  get  rid  of  you 
at  Suez,  because  I  felt  that  I  could  trust  you  with  my 
doubts  and  fears,  and  look  to  you  for  help  should  an 
emergency  arise.  Otherwise,  Mr.  Fenshawe  and  I 
would  be  at  their  mercy." 

"You  can  count  on  me  to  the  end,"  said  Royson 
earnestly,  "but  I  would  ask  you  not  to  forget  that  the 
officers  and  crew  are  all  Englishmen,  and,  from  what 
I  have  seen  of  them,  they  would  never  lend  themselves 
to  any  undertaking  which  meant  actual  treachery  to 
their  employers." 

119 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"That,  of  course,  is  excellent  so  far  as  it  goes," 
was  the  tart  response,  "but  I  am  also  aware  that  our 
enterprising  Baron  has  very  adroitly  bound  all  of  you 
to  secrecy,  and  exacted  a  promise  of  faithfulness  to  his 
interests.  The  result  is  that  not  even  you,  Mr.  Royson, 
told  me  anything  about  the  attack  made  on  him  at 
Marseilles  —  " 

This  counter-stroke  was  unexpected,  and  Royson 
glanced  at  her  with  some  degree  of  embarrassment. 

"He  persuaded  us  that  if  the  incident  came  to  your 
knowledge  it  might  alarm  you  needlessly,"  he  broke  in, 
"and  that  sounded  quite  reasonable." 

"  Exactly.  You  are  beginning  to  appreciate  the  pit- 
falls which  awaited  me  when  I  tried  to  convince  my 
grandfather  that  he  should  not  credit  every  statement 
made  to  him.  Baron  von  Kerber  is  the  most  plausible 
of  men.  He  never  tells  a  downright  untruth.  Indeed, 
he  speaks  the  absolute  truth,  but  only  a  part  of  it. 
Fortunately,  my  maid  heard  of  your  prowess  in  routing 
the  Baron's  assailants.  You  at  once  became  a  hero 
among  the  sailors,  which,  by  the  way,  was  only  fit  and 
proper  if  you  are  destined  to  fill  the  role  played  by 
your  distinguished  ancestor." 

A  quiet  little  smile  chased  the  shadows  from  her 
face,  and  Dick  flushed  as  he  recalled  the  wild  words  of 
that  wonderful  night  in  the  canal. 

"  Tagg  must  have  been  talking,"  he  managed  to  say. 
"Please  tell  me  what  you  have  heard,  Miss  Fenshawe." 

"Nothing  beyond  the  fact  that  our  Austrian  friend 
was  set  upon  by  some  highway  robbers  while  driving 

120 


Mrs.  Haxton  receives  a  Shock 

from  the  station  to  the  ship  at  a  late  hour,  and  that 
you  and  Mr.  Tagg  happened  to  be  near,  with  disastrous 
results  to  the  Marseillais.  Does  your  bond  permit  you 
to  carry  the  story  further  ?  What  did  really  happen  ?  " 

"There  was  a  rather  one-sided  fight,  because  Tagg 
and  I  took  them  by  surprise,  but  the  Baron  escaped 
uninjured,  or  nearly  so." 

"  Did  they  rob  him,  then  ?  " 

"  I  meant  that  he  sustained  a  couple  of  slight  cuts, 
and  therein  you  have  another  valid  reason  for  his 
anxiety  that  the  affair  should  not  reach  your  ears." 

Though  her  own  manner  was  imperious  enough, 
Irene  was  manifestly  surprised  at  the  annoyance  ap- 
parent in  Dick's  voice.  She  did  not  realize  that  he 
was  wroth  because  of  the  check  imposed  by  the  promise 
exacted  in  London.  If  he  told  her  of  the  theft  of  the 
papyrus,  and  explained  the  few  details  he  possessed 
with  regard  to  von  Kerber's  declared  enemy,  he  would 
only  add  fuel  to  the  distrust  already  planted  in  her 
heart.  That  would  achieve  no  tangible  good,  while 
no  casuistry  would  wipe  away  the  stain  on  his  own 
honor.  So  here  was  he,  burning  with  desire  to  assure 
her  of  his  devotion,  forced  into  silent  pact  with  the 
very  conspiracy  she  was  denouncing. 

She  attributed  his  sudden  gruffness  to  a  distaste  for 
hearing  his  exploits  lauded. 

"At  any  rate,  you  now  understand  my  motive  for 
speaking  so  plainly,  Mr.  Royson,"  she  went  on.  "You 
may  feel  bound  by  your  arrangement  with  the  Baron, 
and  I  have  no  fault  to  find  on  that  score,  but  I  am 

121 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

quite  certain,  since  I  have  learnt  who  you  are,  that  you 
will  not  lend  yourself  to  any  discreditable  plan  which 
may  be  in  the  minds  of  the  remarkable  pair  who  are 
now  looking  at  us,  and  wondering,  no  doubt,  what  we 
are  discussing  so  earnestly." 

Roy  son  saw  that  von  Kerber  and  Mrs.  Haxton  were 
awaiting  them  at  the  door  of  the  post-office,  but  the 
personal  allusion  to  himself,  which  Miss  Fenshawe 
had  dropped,  in  parenthesis  as  it  were,  into  her  con- 
cluding sentence,  demanded  a  question. 

"Will  you  enlighten  me  on  the  interesting  point  of 
my  identity,  then  ?  "  he  asked  rapidly. 

"  Oh  yes.  I  take  it  that  your  Port  Said  letter  was 
opened  and  read.  Mrs.  Haxton  is  skilled  at  jumping 
to  conclusions,  I  fancy.  She  said  she  recognized  your 
name  at  Marseilles  —  when  the  telegram  arrived,  you 
know  —  but,  if  that  were  so,  it  is  strange  that  she 
should  keep  the  knowledge  to  herself  until  all  of  us 
were  at  dinner  after  leaving  Port  Said.  I  also  can 
add  two  and  two  occasionally,  and  I  have  not  the 
slightest  doubt  that  something  in  your  letter  gave  her 
the  necessary  clue.  Was  she  mistaken  ?  " 

"In  what?" 

"  In  the  belief  that  you  are  the  nephew  of  a  baronet, 
and  his  heir?" 

He  laughed  pleasantly.  After  years  of  indifference, 
his  birthright  was  pursuing  him  with  a  certain  zest. 

"You  could  not  have  chosen  a  better  example  of 
those  half-truths  you  complain  of,"  said  he.  "  I  admit 
that  my  uncle  is  Sir  Henry  Royson,  but  his  heir  he 

122 


Mrs.  Haxton  receives  a  Shock 

vowed  I  should  not  be  when  last  we  met.  Yet  the 
letter  you  speak  of  was  from  his  solicitor,  and  it  held 
out  a  vague  suggestion  of  possibilities  which,  to  put  it 
mildly,  would  make  Mrs.  Haxton  a  remarkably  good 
guesser." 

A  silence  fell  upon  them  as  they  neared  the  others. 
Irene  disdained  to  use  any  subterfuge,  and  Royson  was 
far  too  perplexed  to  branch  off  into  a  new  conversation 
meant  for  the  general  ear.  Mrs.  Haxton  and  the 
Austrian  also  broke  off  their  talk.  They  were  about 
to  enter  the  post-office  when  Mr.  Fenshawe  came 
out. 

"Here  you  are,"  he  cried.  "Lots  of  letters  and 
newspapers.  Take  them,  Irene,  and  sort  them  out. 
The  Baron  and  I  must  hurry  to  the  Governor's  house. 
We  can  read  our  correspondence  at  the  hotel." 

Von  Kerber  had  evidently  profited  by  his  stroll 
with  Mrs.  Haxton.  He  raised  no  objection,  but  went 
off  at  once  with  the  older  man.  Irene  managed  to 
open  the  bulky,  string-tied  package  entrusted  to  her. 
She  gave  Mrs.  Haxton  several  letters,  and  added  to 
Royson's  already  bewildered  state  by  handing  him 
three,  two  being  directed  to  him  in  his  right  name 
and  the  third  bearing  the  superscription  "Richard 
King,  Esq." 

He  knew  that  Miss  Fenshawe  had  noticed  the  alias, 
and  took  it  as  a  kindly  act  that  she  passed  no  remark 
on  it.  He  was  equally  well  aware  that  Mrs.  Haxton 
was  alive  to  the  fact  that  there  were  letters  for  him. 
Stump,  who  made  his  appearance  at  the  moment, 

123 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

added  a  whiff  of  awkwardness  when  he  saw  the  en- 
velopes in  Dick's  hands. 

"Hello!"  he  growled,  "you've  bin  pretty  spry. 
Letters,  eh  ?  How  did  you  work  it  ?  " 

"I  am  not  able  to  tell  you,"  was  the  frank  answer. 
"  Evidently  some  one  in  London  discovered  the  yacht's 
route  long  before  I  knew  it  myself." 

"That's  funny,"  said  Stump,  with  a  hint  of  doubt 
in  the  exclamation. 

"It  is  probably  a  simple  enough  matter  if  it  were 
cleared  up,"  said  Irene  off-handedly.  "The  Aphro- 
dite's ports  of  call  are  quite  open  to  the  knowledge  of 
any  person  who  takes  the  trouble  to  inquire  at  Mr. 
Fenshawe's  residence.  Mr.  Royson  will  find,  no  doubt, 
that  his  friends  followed  that  course  when  he  failed  to 
let  them  know  whither  the  vessel  was  bound.  But  it 
is  too  hot  to  stand  here  in  the  sun.  Let  us  go  to  the 
hotel  and  look  through  our  budget  in  comfort." 

When  opportunity  served,  Dick  glanced  at  his  unex- 
pected mail.  The  two  letters  for  "  Royson  "  were  from 
Forbes.  They  bore  different  dates.  The  first  stated 
that  Sir  Henry  Royson  was  seriously  ill,  and  had  given 
urgent  instructions  that  his  nephew  was  to  be  brought 
to  his  bedside.  "  I  have  reason  to  believe,"  wrote  the 
lawyer,  "that  your  uncle  has  sustained  some  shock, 
perhaps  arising  from  the  sudden  receipt  of  intelligence 
hitherto  withheld  from  him,  and  I  would  fail  in  my 
duty  if  I  did  not  urge  you  to  cast  aside  all  other  consid- 
erations and  return  to  England  at  once." 

The  second  letter  was  even  more  explicit.  "The 
124 


Mrs.  Haxton  receives  a  Shock 

person  from  whom  I  have  received  information  of  your 
whereabouts,"  said  Mr.  Forbes,  "has  called  on  me 
to-day,  and  the  facts  he  has  laid  before  me  demand 
your  earnest  consideration.  He  is  assured  that  the 
treasure-hunting  expedition  you  have  joined  is  a  com- 
pound of  piracy  and  rascality,  in  which  Mr.  Fenshawe 
is  a  dupe,  having  been  misled  by  a  man  who  has 
incurred  the  gravest  suspicion  of  felony.  The  Italian 
Government  is  taking  steps  to  procure  this  person's 
arrest,  and,  whether  or  not  the  charges  brought  against 
him  be  substantiated,  it  is  an  assured  thing  that  the 
movements  of  the  Aphrodite  will  be  watched,  with 
a  view  towards  the  armed  prevention  of  any  landing 
from  her  in  Italian  territory.  You  must  know  that  I 
have  the  strongest  grounds  for  this  statement,  or  I 
would  not  dare  place  my  opinion  in  writing.  If  you 
think  it  will  serve  any  useful  purpose,  I  authorize  you 
to  show  this  letter  to  Mr.  Fenshawe,  only  stipulating 
that  I  am  giving  him  a  friendly  warning  (which  will 
soon  be  verified  by  events)  and  that  my  name  must 
not  be  used  in  any  investigation  he  may  choose  to 
make.  It  may  help  you  to  arrive  at  a  right  decision  if 
I  tell  you  that  I  have  traced  you  with  the  help  of  Lieu- 
tenant the  Hon.  John  S.  Paton,  of  the  Coldstream 
Guards,  who  saw  an  advertisement  I  inserted  in  the 
Times,  and  gave  me  the  date  of  a  carriage  accident  in 
Buckingham  Palace  Road,  in  which  you  seem  to  have 
displayed  the  courage  and  resource  that  might  be 
looked  for  in  one  of  your  family.  Inquiry  showed  that 
the  carriage  was  Mr.  Fenshawe 's,  and  one  of  my  clerks, 

125 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

after  visiting  Mr.  Fenshawe's  house,  was  accosted  by 
a  man  who  was  able  to  prove  that  he  had  accurate 
knowledge  of  your  movements.  I  am  told  that  he  is 
writing  Mr.  Fenshawe  fully  by  this  mail,  so,  in  any 
event,  I  feel  confident  of  your  early  departure  from 
Massowah,  believing,  as  I  do,  that  Mr.  Fenshawe  will 
not  continue  to  lend  his  name  to  an  undertaking  of  bad 
repute." 

The  third  letter,  that  addressed  to  "King,"  was 
from  a  Mr.  William  Fielding,  "Confidential  Inquiry 
Agent,"  who  revealed  himself  as  Mr.  Forbes 's  inform- 
ant. He  wrote  in  similar  strain  to  the  solicitor,  and 
added:  "I  have  directed  the  envelope  to  you  in  the 
name  under  which  you  shipped  on  board  the  Aphrodite, 
though  I  am  aware  that  a  telegram  sent  to  you  at 
Marseilles  in  your  proper  name  reached  you.  If  you 
will  kindly  seek  a  private  interview  with  Mr.  Fenshawe, 
and  tell  him  how  a  man  named  Alfieri,  with  others, 
attacked  Baron  von  Kerber  at  Marseilles,  and  robbed 
and  wounded  him  without  any  subsequent  protest  on 
his  part,  you  will  help  in  undoing  a  great  wrong." 

Royson  was  sitting  in  the  balcony  veranda  on  the 
first  floor  of  the  Hotel  Grande  del  Universe  when  his 
astonished  eyes  skimmed  rapidly  through  these  letters. 
Scarce  crediting  his  senses,  he  read  them  again,  word 
by  word,  striving  to  extract  from  their  cryptic  sentences 
that  hidden  meaning  which  lay  beneath.  Outspoken 
as  the  solicitor  was,  he  had  evidently  left  unsaid  the 
major  portion  of  the  strange  story  within  his  ken. 
The  new  correspondent,  too,  might  or  might  not  be 

126 


Mrs.  Haxton  receives  a  Shock 

the  man  whom  Dick  had  seen  in  Hyde  Park  and  at 
Charing  Cross  Station.  But  the  same  curious  guarded- 
ness  was  apparent  in  each  missive.  The  lawyer  dealt 
in  generalities ;  the  private  detective  merely  asked  for  the 
corroboration  of  a  single  detail  in  the  statement  which, 
doubtless,  awaited  Mr.  Fenshawe's  perusal  among  the 
letters  now  piled  on  a  table  by  the  side  of  Miss  Fen- 
shawe's chair. 

At  the  thought,  Dick  turned  and  looked  at  Irene. 
She  was  smiling  at  some  quip  or  bit  of  lively  news  in  a 
closely-written  sheet.  Near  her,  Mrs.  Haxton  was  en- 
gaged more  deeply.  The  letter  clasped  in  her  long 
slender  fingers  was  as  obviously  a  business  document 
as  Irene's  was  the  crossed  and  interlined  product  of  a 
feminine  pen  overflowing  with  gossip.  Stump  was 
leaning  on  the  railing  of  the  veranda,  contemptuously 
heedless  of  the  efforts  of  half  a  dozen  vendors  of  carpets, 
ostrich  feathers,  fruit,  sweets,  and  Abyssinian  curios, 
who  had  gathered  in  the  street  beneath  and  were  en- 
deavoring vociferously  to  secure  his  patronage  for  their 
wares.  So  Dick  had  leisure  to  think  out  a  line  of 
action,  and  he  saw  no  reason  to  dispute  the  soundness  of 
the  advice  given  him  by  Mr.  Forbes.  If  the  owner 
of  the  Aphrodite  were  unknowingly  lending  himself  to 
an  illegal  quest,  it  was  the  duty  of  an  honest  man  to 
warn  him.  The  agreement  with  von  Kerber  stood  in 
the  way  perhaps.  In  that  case,  it  must  be  terminated. 
Such  a  resolve  was  rather  bitter  to  the  taste,  but  it  was 
unavoidable.  To  travel  home  by  the  next  mail  steamer 
from  Aden  would  be  a  tame  ending  to  an  adventure 

127 


The  Wheel  o>   Fortune 

that  promised  so  well  in  its  initial  stages.  And  what 
of  his  vow  not  to  desert  the  girl  who  had  placed  her 
faith  in  him  ?  Well,  he  would  best  serve  her  by  opening 
Mr.  Fenshawe's  eyes  to  the  character  of  his  associates, 
for  Dick  had  no  manner  of  doubt  that  Mrs.  Haxton 
was  the  leading  spirit  in  the  plot  of  which  the  millionaire 
was  the  "dupe,"  according  to  the  lawyer. 

But  Royson  had  found  adversity  a  hard  task-master. 
He  had  learnt  early  the  lesson  that  a  man  who  takes  a 
leap  in  the  dark  should  at  least  jump  from  firm  ground, 
and  when  he  asked  himself  what  was  the  definite  charge 
he  would  prefer  against  von  Kerber  his  logic  was 
brought  to  an  abrupt  halt.  In  plain  English,  he  de- 
pended on  a  few  words  in  the  solicitor's  letter,  and 
these,  in  their  turn,  were  probably  inspired  by  the 
one-sided  statements  of  the  Austrian's  avowed  enemy, 
Alfieri.  This  consideration  brought  him  back  to  the 
starting-point  in  his  review  of  a  puzzling  situation. 
Fielding,  whoever  he  might  be,  had  done  the  right 
thing  in  placing  his  case  before  Mr.  Fenshawe  by  letter. 
It  would  serve  to  clear  the  ground,  and  give  scope  for 
the  interference  of  one  who  really  had  no  cause  of 
complaint  against  von  Kerber. 

"Anyhow,"  reflected  Royson,  smiling  at  the  queer 
manner  in  which  many  opposing  interests  helped  to 
entangle  him  in  a  mesh  of  difficulties,  "I  need  not 
rush  my  fences.  Let  Fenshawe  read  his  letter,  and, 
above  all  else,  let  me  seek  counsel  from  his  grand- 
daughter. Then,  by  happy  chance,  I  may  hit  on  the 
right  line." 

128 


Mrs.  Haxton  receives  a  Shock 

When  a  young  man  does  not  want  to  deprive  himself 
of  the  company  of  a  nice  young  woman,  he  may  be 
depended  on  to  argue  himself  into  a  state  of  mind 
which  does  not  demand  such  a  sacrifice. 

At  that  instant  Irene  rose  and  told  Captain  Stump 
that  she  agreed  with  him  —  a  scrutiny  of  the  chattering 
mob  in  the  street  was  more  to  her  taste  than  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  frocks  worn  at  the  last  court  ball.  Dick 
pocketed  his  letters,  and  would  have  joined  them  had 
he  not  noticed  that  Mrs.  Haxton  was  bending  forward 
in  her  chair  and  examining  the  mixed  pile  of  corre- 
spondence on  the  table.  There  was  no  grave  signifi- 
cance in  the  action,  because  a  number  of  magazines 
and  newspapers  were  mixed  with  the  heap,  and  these 
were  more  or  less  common  property.  But  Royson, 
knowing  of  the  existence  of  one  document  of  exceeding 
importance,  acted  on  the  principle  that  if  opportunity 
makes  the  thief  Mrs.  Haxton 's  reputation  should  re- 
main unsullied  that  day  if  it  lay  in  his  power.  He  lit  a 
cigar,  wheeled  his  chair  slightly,  and  sat  facing  her,  at 
a  distance  of  ten  or  twelve  feet.  The  open  railing  of 
the  veranda  was  half  as  far  away  on  his  right  and  on 
Mrs.  Haxton's  left.  Through  the  narrow  rails  they 
both  could  see  the  opposite  pavement,  with  its  dun- 
colored  throng  of  natives  and  the  gloomy  interiors  of 
several  small  shops,  while  the  white  walls  and  close- 
latticed  windows  of  the  upper  stories  seemed  to  be 
bleaching  visibly  in  the  slanting  rays  of  a  fierce  after- 
noon sun. 

Mrs.  Haxton,  apparently  giving  no  heed  to  Royson, 
129 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

glanced  listlessly  at  the  wrappers  and  postmarks.  The 
task  seemed  to  prove  uninteresting.  Soon  she  selected 
a  periodical,  and  was  about  to  open  it  when  a  remark 
from  Irene  caught  her  ear. 

"That  Italian  standing  in  front  of  the  grain-dealer's 
place  seems  to  be  rooted  to  the  ground  with  astonish- 
ment at  seeing  strangers  in  the  hotel,"  said  the  girl, 
turning  her  smiling  face  towards  her  companion. 

"Them  Dagos  is  impident  pups  at  times,  miss," 
replied  Stump,  his  red  eyes  no  doubt  meeting  the  man's 
stare  with  a  fixity  that  might  have  disconcerted  most 
gapers. 

"  Does  he  know  you,  do  you  think  ?  I  happened  to 
see  him  coming  along  the  street,  and  as  soon  as  he  saw 
us  he  stood  stock-still.  He  has  been  gazing  up  here 
now  for  the  past  two  or  three  minutes." 

"I've  booted  a  rare  lot  of  I-talians  in  my  time,"  said 
Stump.  "I  wouldn't  be  a  bit  surprised  if  he  was  some 
loafer  I'd  helped  across  a  ship's  gangway  at  Genoa  or 
Naples." 

"But,  captain,"  laughed  Irene,  "that  man  appears 
to  be  a  superior  class." 

"  Bless  yer  heart,  miss,  that's  nothin'.  By  the  cut  of 
his  jib  I'd  rate  him  as  a  fiddler,  an'  I  remember  once, 
at  Brindisi,  I  was  pointed  out  two  counts  an'  a  markee 
among  the  coal-heavers." 

Naturally  enough,  Mrs.  Haxton  and  Dick  looked  for 
the  person  whose  singular  behavior  was  under  discus- 
sion. Though  they  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  him, 
it  was  impossible  that  they  themselves  could  be  seen 

130 


Mrs.  Haxton  receives  a  Shock 

with  any  degree  of  clearness.  The  railing  and  the 
deep  shade  of  the  veranda  shielded  them  effectually. 
The  Italian,  a  man  of  middle  height,  with  a  finely- 
molded  face  and  soldierly  aspect,  a  man  whose  bearing 
went  far  to  prove  that  Stump's  general  estimate  of  a 
great  nation  was  apt  to  be  wrong,  was  certainly  very 
much  taken  up  with  the  appearance  of  the  two  figures 
leaning  over  the  balcony.  But  Royson  had  scarce  time 
to  note  his  main  characteristics  when  he  heard  Mrs. 
Haxton  utter  a  queer  gasping  sob.  It  seemed  to  him 
that  she  had  only  just  succeeded  in  smothering  a 
scream.  Her  cheeks  suddenly  became  ashen  gray,  and 
her  tightly  compressed  lips  were  bloodless.  All  her 
beauty  fled,  as  the  tints  of  a  rose  die  under  certain 
varieties  of  chemical  light.  Her  eyes  dilated  in  an 
alarming  way,  and  lines  not  visible  previously  now 
puckered  the  corners  of  her  mouth. 

Owing  to  the  Babel  of  tongues  in  the  street,  neither 
Irene  nor  Captain  Stump  knew  how  terribly  the  mere 
sight  of  the  staring  Italian  had  affected  Mrs.  Haxton. 
It  came  to  Royson  with  a  flash  of  inspiration  that 
this  man  must  be  Alfieri,  that  the  woman  had  recog- 
nized him,  and  that  she  feared  him  with  a  mortal 
dread. 

He  sprang  upright  and  went  to  her. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  he  asked,  neither  raising  nor  lowering 
his  voice  sufficiently  to  attract  attention.  "Are  you 
ill?  Shall  I  call  Miss  Fenshawe?" 

She  lifted  an  appealing  hand,  and  tremblingly  es- 
sayed to  drop  her  veil.  Her  languid  insolence  had 

131 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

vanished  with  her  good  looks.  For  the  moment,  she 
was  a  broken  and  despairing  woman. 

"No,  no,"  she  murmured,  and  the  anguish  in  her 
voice  would  have  aroused  sympathy  in  a  nature  far 
less  impressionable  than  Royson's.  "  If  you  could  help 
me,  and  all  of  us,  try  and  find  Baron  von  Kerber,  and 
tell  him  —  tell  him  —  I  sent  you  with  the  message  that 
there  is  one  here  whom  he  must  not  meet.  Oh,  what 
shall  I  say  to  make  him  understand  ?  " 

"  May  I  tell  him  that  Alfieri  is  in  Massowah  ?  " 

Dick  almost  regretted  the  words  when  he  witnessed 
their  tremendous  effect.  She  was  on  the  very  brink  of 
hysteria,  and  the  suddenness  of  her  collapse  was 
painful. 

"  You  —  you,  too,  know  Alfieri  ?  "  she  gasped,  looking 
at  him  in  a  very  agony  of  terror. 

"I  am  sorry  if  I  have  added  to  your  alarm.  I  did 
not  mean  to  do  that.  Alfieri  is  unknown  to  me,  but 
I  heard  his  name  at  Marseilles,  when  he  attacked  the 
Baron." 

The  pity  he  could  not  withhold  seemed  to  give  her 
new  strength. 

"  An  attack ! "  she  whispered.  "  At  Marseilles !  Oh, 
why  was  I  not  told?  But  you  will  find  him,  at  the 
Governor's  house !  It  is  not  far  —  on  the  seaward 
point.  .  .  .  The  hotel  people  will  supply  a  guide.  .  .  . 
Baron  von  Kerber  and  Alfieri  must  not  meet  here.  If 
they  do  meet,  we  shall  lose  everything.  .  .  .  Tell  the 
Baron  to  go  on  board  the  yacht,  no  matter  what  Mr. 
Fenshawe  says.  Do  you  understand  ?  It  is  a  matter 

132 


Mrs.  Haxton  receives  a  Shock 

of  life  and  death.  Slip  out  into  a  back  street,  so  that 
Alfieri  may  not  see  you.  ...  I  will  watch  from  here. 
Go,  for  Heaven's  sake.  Let  nothing  delay  you." 

She  was  incapable  of  further  explanation.  Dick 
feared  she  would  faint  if  he  waited  another  second. 

Hence,  when  Irene  turned  to  say  that  Mr.  Fenshawe 
and  the  Baron  appeared  to  be  paying  a  prolonged  visit 
to  the  Governor,  she  found  that  Mrs.  Haxton  was 
sitting  alone,  with  her  veiled  face  propped  on  her  hands, 
while,  so  malicious  was  fate's  decree  once  more  to 
Royson,  that  he  was  then  hastening  through  malodorous 
lanes  and  crowded  slums  in  order  to  save  from  threat- 
ened peril  the  very  man  whose  downfall  offered  the 
only  visible  means  by  which  he  could  bend  his  own 
frail  fortunes  in  the  direction  that  looked  best  to  him. 


133 


CHAPTER  VIII 

MASSOWAH   ASSERTS   ITSELF 

ROYSON  knew  not  one  word  of  Arabic.  His  Italian 
was  of  a  rudimentary  type,  based  on  some  acquaintance 
with  Latin,  eked  out  by  a  few  phrases  gleaned  from 
books  of  travel.  The  polite  hotel  manager's  French  was 
only  a  shade  more  fluent.  Consequently,  the  latter 
told  Mulai  Hamed,  deputy  assistant  hall-porter,  that  the 
Effendi  wished  to  be  conducted  to  Government  House 
with  the  utmost  secrecy,  thus  twisting  Dick's  simple 
request  that  the  guide  should  avoid  the  main  streets 
into  a  mysterious  demand  which  an  Eastern  mind  could 
not  fail  to  embroider  with  intrigue. 

For  Mulai  Hamed  was  a  negroid  Arab,  whose  ruf- 
fianly aspect  was  rather  enhanced  by  the  swaggering 
way  he  carried  a  broad  shoulder-belt  and  brass  badge 
of  office.  He  interpreted  his  orders  literally,  being 
eager  to  display  a  certain  skill  in  conducting  to  an 
artistic  finish  any  enterprise  that  savored  of  guile.  As 
soon  as  the  two  quitted  the  hotel,  Royson  saw  that  he 
was  traversing  by-paths  seldom  visited  by  Europeans. 
He  passed  through  evil-smelling  alleys  so  shut  in  by 
lofty  houses  that  the  sun  hardly  ever  penetrated  their 
depths.  He  caught  glimpses  of  dun  interiors  when 

134 


Massowah  Asserts  Itself 

forced  aside  by  a  panier-laden  mule  or  lumbering 
camel,  and  the  knowledge  was  thrust  upon  him  in 
many  ways  that  his  presence  in  this  minor  artery  of 
the  bazaar  was  resented  by  its  inhabitants. 

The  few  females  he  met  were  swathed  from  head  to 
foot  in  cotton  garments  that  had  once  been  white. 
Dark  eyes  glanced  curiously  at  him  over  the  yashmak, 
or  veil,  which  covered  nose,  cheeks,  and  mouth  from 
the  gaze  of  strangers.  Orange-tinted  nails  and  finger- 
tips, visible  occasionally  when  the  loose  fold  of  a  robe 
was  snatched  from  the  contamination  of  touching  him, 
suggested  the  talons  of  a  bird  of  prey  rather  than  the 
slender  well-shaped  hand  for  which  the  Arab  woman 
is  noteworthy.  Every  man,  almost  without  exception, 
scowled  at  him.  Naked  children,  playing  in  the  gutter, 
ran  off,  half  frightened,  yet  stopped  to  shriek  words 
which  he  was  quite  sure  were  not  kindly  greetings. 
Prowling  dogs,  the  scavengers  of  the  native  quarter, 
shared  the  general  hostility,  and  scurried  out  of  his 
path,  but  sullenly,  and  with  bared  teeth.  Through 
occasional  sunlit  vistas  he  peeped  into  main  streets  in 
which  loitered  numbers  of  Italian  soldiers  and  civilians. 
Even  a  few  carriages  appeared,  conveying  ladies  to  the 
shops  or  public  gardens,  now  that  the  intense  heat  of 
the  sun  had  subsided.  Therefore  he  found  it  scarcely 
credible  that  in  the  fetid  slums  there  should  be  such 
covert  hatred  of  the  white  race  which  held  undisputed 
sway  in  thoroughfares  distant  not  a  stone's  throw. 
And,  in  puzzling  contrast  to  the  evidences  of  eye  and 
ear,  he  was  conscious  of  an  uncanny  sense  of  familiarity 

135 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

with  his  surroundings.  Before  the  Aphrodite  brought 
him  south  by  east  he  had  never  been  nearer  Egypt  than 
Paris.  Yet  the  sights,  the  sounds,  the  nauseating  smell 
of  this  dank  bazaar,  appealed  to  him  with  the  breathless 
realism  that  the  jingle  of  hansoms,  the  steady  crunch 
of  omnibuses,  the  yelling  of  newsboys  and  the  tar-laden 
scent  of  the  wood-paved  road  might  convey  when  next 
he  entered  the  Strand. 

This  entirely  novel  and  disquieting  conceit  recalled 
his  strange  obsession  when  first  he  looked  out  over  the 
desert  at  night  from  the  bows  of  the  yacht,  and  the 
memory  brought  with  it  the  legend  of  his  house  — 
that  the  Roysons  were  descendants  of  Coeur-de-Lion. 
He  saw  now  that  which  he  had  never  realized  from  the 
glowing  pages  of  written  romance,  that  the  Crusaders 
must  have  mixed  with  people  nearly  identical  in  manner 
and  speech  with  the  strange  human  miscellany  of  Mas- 
sowah.  During  those  medieval  campaigns  in  an  arid 
and  poverty-stricken  land,  feudal  pomp  and  regal 
glitter  would  yield  perforce  to  the  demands  of  existence. 
Richard  of  England  and  Philip  of  France,  with  many 
another  noble  warrior  of  high  repute,  had  doubtless 
been  glad  enough,  times  without  number,  to  seek  the 
shelter  and  meager  fare  of  just  such  a  jumble  of  dark- 
ened tenements  as  that  through  which  his  guide  was 
leading  him. 

But  why  should  he,  Richard  Roy  son,  acknowledge 
an  occult  acquaintance  with  this  unknown  scene  ?  And 
what  was  the  fascination  which  the  squalid  life  of  the 
bazaar  had  exercised  occasionally  on  men  of  exalted 

136 


Massowah  Asserts  Itself 

rank  at  different  periods  of  the  world's  history?  The 
mere  notion  that  he  might  succumb  to  it  —  that  he 
should  even  feel  its  glamour  by  the  operation  of  some 
subtle  trait  of  heredity  —  was  so  grotesque  that  he 
laughed  aloud. 

He  happened  to  be  crossing  a  tiny  square  at  the 
moment,  and  a  bearded  moullah  was  entering  a  mosque 
which  filled  one  whole  side  of  it.  The  unbeliever's 
mirth  doubtless  disturbed  a  pious  meditation,  and  the 
moullah  turned  and  muttered  something.  The  words 
might  be  a  verse  of  the  Koran,  but  they  had  the  ring 
of  a  malediction. 

Mulai  Hamed  was  abashed  and  angry.  He  spoke 
apologetically  to  the  holy  man,  alluded  to  the  "  giaour " 
more  than  once,  and  proceeded  to  give  Dick  a  voluble 
lecture,  enlightening  him,  most  probably,  as  to  the 
exceeding  importance  of  politeness  where  a  Mahom- 
edan  priest  was  concerned. 

Royson  was  unable  to  explain  that  his  hilarity 
was  not  intended  as  a  slight  on  the  follower  of  the 
Prophet.  Yet  dignity  demanded  he  should  not  re- 
main dumb,  so  he  pointed  ahead,  and  vociferated,  with 
a  fairly  accurate  assumption  of  his  skipper's  voice  and 
manner: 

"  Lead  on,  you  swab,  and  keep  silent,  or  I'll  alter  the 
shape  of  your  face." 

It  sufficed,  nor  was  he  wholly  mistaken  in  his  rough- 
and-ready  philosophy,  for  it  is  thus  that  the  West 
dominates  the  East.  The  incident  had  the  further 
effect  of  arousing  Royson  to  actualities.  He  dis- 

137 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

missed  his  day-dream,  and  bent  his  wits  to  considera- 
tion of  the  queer  message  which  Mrs.  Haxton  had  asked 
him  to  deliver.  Would  the  Austrian  obey  her,  he 
wondered?  A  man's  point  of  view  and  a  woman's 
differ  materially  when  the  graver  crises  of  life  have  to 
be  faced.  If  it  were  merely  a  question  of  physical 
courage,  Dick  imagined  that  the  Baron  would  refuse 
to  play  the  coward's  part  by  skulking  on  board  the 
yacht.  In  that  event,  von  Kerber  and  Alfieri  could 
hardly  fail  to  meet  within  the  hour,  for  Massowah 
was  a  small  place.  Nor  was  it  altogether  probable 
that  bloodshed  would  be  the  outcome.  The  affray  at 
Marseilles  had  given  the  Italian  an  excellent  oppor- 
tunity for  settling  old  scores  in  that  fashion  if  he  were 
so  minded.  At  any  rate,  the  position  was  rife  with 
dramatic  possibilities,  and  each  that  presented  itself 
to  Dick's  judgment  seemed  to  favor  his  own  projects, 
which  now  demanded  a  speedy  return  to  England. 
Yet  he  hoped  to  arrange  his  departure  in  such  wise 
that  Irene  Fenshawe  might  not  have  it  in  her  heart  that 
he  had  deserted  her. 

Dick  did  not  admit,  even  to  himself,  that  he  had  any 
well-defined  motive,  other  than  the  fulfilment  of  a 
promise,  for  wishing  to  stand  well  in  the  girl's  esteem. 

"I  may  be  a  potential  baronet,"  he  communed, 
"but  I  am  not  such  a  fool  as  to  fall  in  love  with  the 
heiress  of  a  man  like  Fenshawe.  A  baronet,  indeed! 
Hardly  a  month  ago  I  was  tramping  the  streets  of  Lon- 
don looking  for  work.  One  does  not,  under  those  con- 
ditions, include  in  the  list  of  prospective  occupations 

138 


Massowah  Asserts  Itself 

marriage  with  a  young  lady  worth  a  million  or 
two." 

It  was  surprising  how  bitter  this  very  sensible  re- 
flection could  be.  It  disturbed  his  placid  temper. 
He  felt  like  railing  at  fate  for  ill-usage.  Fortunately, 
Mulai  Hamed  had  no  further  cause  to  chide  the  Effendi 
on  account  of  his  seeming  irreverence,  or  Dick's  copy- 
ing of  Stump's  methods  might  not  have  been  confined 
to  speech. 

But  it  was  a  remarkable  fact;  worthy  of  high 
relief  in  the  fresco  of  weird  and  startling  events  then 
vaguely  grouping  themselves,  that  Royson  first  dreamed 
of  love,  even  as  a  fantastic  idyll  where  Irene  Fenshawe 
was  concerned,  while  he  was  hurrying  through  the 
native  quarter  of  Massowah  on  a  mission  destined  to 
change  the  whole  course  of  his  life. 

For  the  hour  was  at  hand  when  he  would  be  tried 
by  tests  that  few  men  might  endure.  Treading  close 
on  the  heels  of  his  guide,  he  emerged  from  a  cramped 
arch  into  a  spacious  parade-ground.  A  regiment  of 
bersaglieri  was  assembling  for  drill  during  the  com- 
paratively cool  interval  before  sunset,  and,  on  the  sea- 
ward side  of  the  plain,  a  squat  fort  pointed  its  guns  at 
town  and  harbor. 

Mulai  Hamed  hastened  towards  the  nearest  gate. 
He  did  not  enter,  but  his  gestures  showed  that  the 
Governor's  residence  stood  inside  the  fortifications. 
Royson  went  on  alone,  and  was  stopped  by  a  sentry, 
who  called  a  corporal;  the  latter  conducted  him  to  a 
lieutenant,  and  thenceforth  Dick's  progress  was  sim- 

139 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

plified,  because  the  officer  not  only  spoke  English  but 
was  ready  to  display  his  erudition,  though  not  exactly 
in  the  manner  desired  by  his  questioner. 

When  Royson  said  he  wanted  to  communicate  with 
two  gentlemen  who  had  called  on  the  Governor  some 
two  hours  earlier,  the  Italian  smiled  darkly. 

"They  landed  from  the  English  yacht  out  there?" 
he  asked,  with  a  hand-flourish  that  indicated  the  Red 
Sea  generally  and  the  Aphrodite  in  particular. 

"Yes." 

"  And  you  are  one  of  the  ship's  officers  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Dick  again. 

"Well,  I  have  no  orders.  I  advise  you  to  go  on 
board,  and  await  his  Excellency's  decision." 

"It  will  be  most  gratifying  to  learn  his  Excellency's 
decision,"  said  Royson,  "but  just  at  this  moment  I 
must  ascertain  the  whereabouts  of  Mr.  Fenshawe  and 
Baron  von  Kerber." 

The  lieutenant  spread  both  hands  deprecatingly. 

"  What  is  one  to  say  ?  "  he  shrugged,  arching  his  eye- 
brows and  pursing  his  lips.  "I  repeat,  I  have  no 
orders." 

"But  you  have  seen  them?" 

"  Oh,  yes.     They  are  here. " 

"Then  will  you  oblige  me  by  sending  in  my  name 
to  Baron  von  Kerber,  and  saying  — " 

"It  is  impossible.  Go  to  your  ship.  I  speak  as  a 
friend." 

"I  am  sure  you  wish  to  help  me,"  persisted  Dick, 
"  but  I  am  carrying  a  message  of  some  importance  — 

140 


Massowah  Asserts  Itself 

"Ah,  from  whom?" 

"From  a  lady." 

"Who  is  she?" 

"One  of  the  ladies  of  our  party." 

"  Ahi,  crudo  Amor!  You  have  ladies  on  board, 
then?" 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Fenshawe's  granddaughter,  and  —  a 
friend  of  hers." 

Something  in  the  Italian's  manner  warned  Royson 
that  he  was  treading  on  unsafe  ground.  It  occurred  to 
him  that  if  Mrs.  Haxton  had  good  reason  for  her  dis- 
play of  fear  at  the  sight  of  Alfieri  it  was  advisable 
not  to  spread  the  tidings  of  her  presence  in  Massowah 
by  revealing  it  to  an  inquisitive  official.  And  the 
warning  given  in  one  of  the  letters  in  his  pocket  sud- 
denly assumed  a  sinister  significance.  He  strove 
against  any  outward  exhibition  of  concern,  and  the 
lieutenant  was  manifestly  anxious  to  help  him. 

"I  am  sorry,"  was  the  unsatisfying  statement.  "I 
can  do  nothing  without  his  Excellency's  instructions, 
and  he  has  gone  out  for  a  drive." 

"Gone  out  for  a  drive!"  repeated  Royson,  quite 
taken  aback  by  this  rather  bewildering  explanation. 
"Am  I  to  understand  that  my  friends  are  kept 
here—" 

"You  are  to  understand  nothing  but  what  I  have 
told  you,  and  you  will  remember  that  I  have  contented 
myself  with  advising  you  to  return  to  your  yacht." 

It  was  evident  that  no  good  end  could  be  achieved 
by  striving  to  saddle  the  courteous  officer  with  any 

141 


The  Wheel  o   Fortune 

responsibility  for  his  admissions.  Dick  took  the  cue 
thus  offered,  and  tried  another  line. 

"  Will  you  kindly  tell  me  at  what  hour  the  Governor 
returns  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Certainly.     He  will  be  here  in  twenty  minutes." 

"  May  I  wait  until  he  arrives  ?  " 

"Nothing  would  give  me  greater  pleasure." 

The  lieutenant  clapped  his  hands,  and  an  orderly 
appeared. 

"Some  wine,  ice,  and  cigarettes,"  he  commanded. 
He  engaged  Dick  instantly  in  conversation  as  to  the 
prospects  of  war  in  South  Africa,  and  was  obviously 
desirous  not  to  discuss  personal  matters.  He  was  a 
decent  fellow,  and  an  enthusiastic  admirer  of  the 
British  soldier,  of  whom  he  had  seen  a  good  deal  dur- 
ing a  visit  to  Aden,  so  the  talk  did  not  flag  till  the 
clatter  of  hoofs  through  the  vaulted  gateway  announced 
the  advent  of  a  carriage. 

The  Governor,  a  fat,  unhealthy-looking  man,  whose 
seamed  brow  and  puffy  eyelids  suggested  that  nego- 
tiations with  King  Menelek  did  not  constitute  the 
highest  form  of  diplomatic  happiness,  was  pleased  to 
be  explicit  when  Dick  was  introduced  to  him,  and  he 
found  that  the  Englishman  spoke  French. 

"After  consultation  with  the  Government  advo- 
cate," he  said,  "  I  have  decided  to  release  Mr.  Fenshawe, 
whose  arrest  was  due  to  his  persistent  defense  of  Baron 
Franz  von  Kerber's  undertaking.  The  latter  must 
remain  in  custody,  and  I  warn  you,  and  intend  to  give 
the  same  warning  to  all  persons  on  board  your  vessel, 

142 


Massowah  Asserts  Itself 

that  a  gunboat  is  patrolling  the  coast  with  the  most 
positive  instructions  to  sink  the  Aphrodite  if  any  attempt 
be  made  to  land  on  Italian  territory,  elsewhere  than  at 
a  recognized  port." 

His  Excellency  had  cultivated  the  habit  of  plain 
speaking,  which  is  an  essential  part  of  all  dealings  with 
Abyssinians.  Royson  did  not  attempt  to  answer  him. 
He  asked  if  Mr.  Fenshawe  would  be  set  at  liberty 
forthwith,  and  was  assured  that  the  Governor's  own 
carriage  would  convey  both  Mr.  Fenshawe  and  him- 
self to  the  hotel  within  a  few  minutes.  The  big  little 
man  then  vanished,  and  Dick  soon  had  the  satisfaction 
of  seeing  Irene's  grandfather  escorted  to  the  inner 
courtyard  by  a  file  of  soldiers. 

It  was  a  singular  meeting  between  the  two.  Though 
the  yacht-owner  was  white  with  anger,  he  was  mani- 
festly pleased  at  finding  Royson  there. 

"Ah,"  he  said,  extending  his  hand,  "I  am  glad  to 
see  you.  Does  Miss  Fenshawe  know  of  this  out- 
rage ?  " 

"No,  sir.  I  think  not.  Indeed,  I  am  almost  posi- 
tive she  has  not  heard  of  it." 

"Then  why  are  you  here?" 

"  Mrs.  Haxton  sent  me  with  a  message  to  Baron  von 
Kerber." 

"  Mrs.  Haxton  probably  guessed  what  would  happen. 
Some  scoundrel  named  Alfieri,  who  has  tried  more 
than  once  to  steal  my  poor  friend's  secret,  has  gained 
the  ear  of  the  Italian  foreign  minister.  Trumped-up 
allegations  have  led  to  cabled  orders  for  von  Kerber's 

143 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

arrest,  and  these  wretched  organ-grinders  in  uniform 
would  have  lodged  every  one  of  us  in  prison  if  they 
dared.  Unhappily,  the  Baron  is  an  Austrian  subject, 
and  there  will  be  considerable  delay  before  I  can  secure 
his  freeedom.  We  must  make  for  Aden  at  once.  I 
will  not  trust  the  cable  from  Massowah.  By  Jove, 
I  have  been  a  supporter  of  peace  all  my  life,  Mr.  Roy- 
son,  but  it  is  a  lucky  thing  for  this  thieves'  den  that  I 
have  not  an  armed  ship  now  at  my  disposal,  or  I  would 
blow  their  fort  out  of  its  foundations." 

The  older  man  little  knew  how  this  outburst  affected 
Royson.  The  reference  to  Alfieri  was  absolutely 
staggering.  No  up-to-date  battleship  could  have  de- 
molished the  Massowah  fortress  so  effectually  as  Mr. 
Feushawe's  outspoken  wrath  crumbled  the  edifice 
of  doubt  built  by  circumstances  in  Royson 's  mind. 

"Things  have  taken  an  extraordinary  turn,  sir," 
said  he,  feeling  it  incumbent  on  him  to  say  something. 

"They  will  turn  an  Italian  Governor  out  of  his 
position  before  I  have  done  with  them,"  was  the  deter- 
mined answer.  "Come,  Mr.  Royson,  let  us  leave 
this  man-trap.  I  came  here  in  good  faith,  and  I  quit 
the  place  with  the  resolution  that  never  again  shall  I 
entrust  myself  to  the  vagaries  of  any  Jack-in-ofKce 
who  thinks  he  can  browbeat  a  man  of  my  repute  like 
one  of  the  wretched  natives  whom  he  misrules." 

Royson  had  some  difficulty  in  persuading  his  irate 
employer  to  enter  the  Governor's  carriage.  Mr. 
Fenshawe  only  yielded  to  the  plea  that  it  was  a  stiff 
walk  to  the  hotel,  and  his  granddaughter  would  be 

144 


Massowah  Asserts  Itself 

consumed  with  anxiety  if  any  alarming  news  had 
reached  her  meanwhile. 

The  coachman  took  them  by  an  open  road  facing 
the  harbor.  The  sight  of  the  Aphrodite  lying  at 
anchor,  trimly  elegant  in  white  paint  and  neatly-furled 
sails,  and  sporting  the  ensign  of  a  famous  yacht  club, 
led  Dick  to  ask  if  his  companion  knew  that  an  Italian 
gunboat  was  on  the  lookout  for  her. 

"Oh,  yes.  His  Excellency  spared  me  no  details," 
said  Mr.  Fenshawe,  smiling  sarcastically.  "If  I  were 
a  few  years  younger,  and  we  had  no  women  on  board, 
I  would  not  allow  any  threats  of  that  sort  to  hinder  me, 
and  I  am  much  mistaken  in  my  officers  and  men  if 
they  refused  to  back  me  up.  But,  as  it  is,  we  can  do 
nothing.  That  is  what  galls  me,  my  complete  help- 
lessness." 

"We  have  no  heavy  guns,  I  admit,"  said  Dick, 
casting  to  the  winds  all  thought  of  leaving  the  ship 
under  present  conditions,  "but  we  have  arms  and 
ammunition  in  plenty  to  make  it  hot  work  for  any  one 
in  Massowah  to  stop  us  once  we  are  ashore." 

The  other  sighed,  whether  on  account  of  his  vanished 
youth  or  the  impracticable  nature  of  the  scheme,  it  is 
hard  to  say. 

"  Our  weapons  are  meant  only  for  defense,"  he  said. 
"Von  Kerber  wished  to  guard  against  Arab  hostility 
—  that  is  all.  But  I  do  not  despair  of  obtaining  re- 
dress from  Rome.  Surely  it  cannot  be  known  there 
that  I  am  the  leader  of  this  expedition.  It  is  so  wildly 
absurd  to  treat  me  as  a  filibuster.  Why,  Mr.  Royson, 

145 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

the  Italian  Archeological  Society  elected  me  an  honor- 
ary vice-president  ten  years  ago." 

Dick  had  his  own  views  as  to  the  extent  of  the 
Aphrodite's  armament,  but  the  present  was  no  time  to 
air  them.  Moreover,  he  was  beginning  to  see  features 
of  the  affair  that  were  hard  to  reconcile  with  Mr.  Fen- 
shawe's  statements.  In  the  first  instance,  the  Gover- 
nor had  acted  on  specific  instructions,  and  the  Roman 
authorities  must  have  been  well  aware  of  the  identity 
of  the  yacht's  owner.  Again,  the  person  really  aimed 
at  in  these  high-handed  proceedings  was  von  Kerber. 
The  Governor  made  no  secret  of  the  fact  that  the 
millionaire  was  detained  solely  because  he  declared 
himself  a  principal  in  the  Austrian's  enterprise,  and  it 
was  no  small  token  of  official  regret  at  an  unpleasant 
incident  that  they  were  now  driving  to  the  hotel  in  His 
Excellency's  private  carriage.  Finally,  none  but  a 
man  angry  and  humiliated  would  deny  the  right  of 
Italy  to  forbid  the  passage  through  her  colonial  terri- 
tory of  a  foreign  force  such  as  von  Kerber  had  provided, 
a  force  equipped  to  an  extent  and  in  a  manner  that  Mr. 
Fenshawe,  in  all  likelihood,  had  slight  knowledge  of. 

So  Dick  listened  in  silence  to  his  companion's  vows 
of  diplomatic  vengeance.  He  was  resolved  to  talk 
matters  over  with  Miss  Fenshawe  before  he  said  a 
word  about  Alfieri  or  the  news  he  had  received  from 
London.  In  fact,  he  had  little  doubt  that  a  night's 
reflection  would  render  her  grandfather  amenable  to 
reason.  If  there  were  charges  against  von  Kerber, 
let  them  be  brought  to  light.  If  they  were  true,  the 

146 


Massowah  Asserts  Itself 

Italian  Foreign  Office  was  justified  in  its  action:  if 
false,  there  would  be  such  a  hubbub  that  the  resultant 
apologies  would  certainly  be  accompanied  by  the  offer 
of  every  assistance  to  the  objects  of  the  expedition. 

When  they  drew  near  the  hotel,  Royson  saw  Irene 
watching  the  main  street  anxiously  from  the  balcony. 
It  was  rather  remarkable  that  she  should  be  alone, 
but  all  other  thoughts  were  swept  aside  by  the  sight  of 
the  joy  which  lit  her  face  when  the  carriage  stopped 
at  the  portico  and  she  learned  that  her  grandfather 
had  arrived  from  an  opposite  direction. 

They  heard  her  glad  cry  of  surprise,  and  she  hastened 
to  meet  them. 

"  Good  gracious,  grandad,"  she  said,  "  where  have 
you  been?  I  have  waited  here  for  you  ever  so  long, 
wondering  what  had  become  of  you." 

"The  Governor  was  such  an  affable  person  that  he 
refused  to  let  me  go,"  said  Mr.  Fenshawe  grimly. 
"He  has  detained  the  Baron  altogether.  But  let  us 
go  up-stairs.  I  am  pining  for  that  long-deferred  tea. 
Where  is  Mrs.  Haxton  ?  " 

"She  is  ill,  I  am  afraid.  She  found  the  heat  and 
noise  too  much  for  her.  Half  an  hour  ago  she  asked 
Captain  Stump  to  take  her  to  the  yacht.  Of  course  I 
told  her  I  didn't  mind  being  left  here  until  some  one 
came.  But  the  funny  part  of  it  is  that,  although  I  was 
looking  from  the  veranda,  I  failed  to  see  either  her 
or  the  captain  leave  the  hotel." 

By  this  time  they  were  free  from  inquisitive  eyes  or 
ears,  and  Mr.  Fenshawe  proceeded  to  amaze  the  girl 

147 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

with  a  full  recital  of  his  disagreeable  adventure.  Roy- 
son  noticed  that  she  gave  no  heed  whatever  to  his  share 
in  it.  Her  attitude  was  tinged  with  a  slight  disdain, 
and  he  began  to  feel  miserably  depressed  until  it 
occurred  to  him  that  she  probably  resented  his  depar- 
ture on  Mrs.  Haxton's  errand  without  letting  her  know. 
That  was  consoling,  to  an  extent.  He  was  sure  she 
would  forgive  him  when  he  had  an  opportunity  of 
telling  her  exactly  what  had  happened. 

They  were  so  engrossed  in  their  conclave  that  a 
servant  entered  with  lamps  before  they  realized  that 
daylight  had  waned  and  night  was  falling  with  the 
rapidity  of  the  tropics.  Mr.  Fenshawe  leaped  up 
from  his  chair  with  an  alertness  that  belied  his  years. 

"I  must  break  my  resolution  and  send  at  least  one 
cablegram  from  Massowah,"  he  cried.  "It  will  be 
harmless  enough  to  escape  mutilation,  as  it  is  to  my 
London  office  directing  that  all  correspondence  must 
be  addressed  to  Aden  in  future.  You  will  take  it  for 
me,  Royson,  and  pay  the  cost?" 

Dick  went  off  as  soon  as  the  message  was  ready. 
Irene  avoided  him  ostentatiously  while  her  grandfather 
was  writing,  and  thereby  laid  herself  open  to  the  un- 
just suspicion  that  she  was  flirting  with  him.  In 
very  truth,  she  was  torn  with  misgiving,  and  Royson's 
share  in  her  thoughts  was  even  less  than  he  imagined. 
Her  quick  brain  divined  that  the  arrest  of  von  Kerber 
had  only  strengthened  the  Austrian's  claim  on  Mr. 
Fenshawe's  sympathies.  Like  all  generous-souled  men, 
her  grandfather  ran  to  extremes,  and  she  felt  that  it 

148 


Massowah  Asserts  Itself 

was  hopeless  now  to  try  and  shake  his  faith  in  one 
whom  he  regarded  as  the  victim  of  persecution. 

"Will  Captain  Stump  come  back  for  dinner?" 
inquired  Mr.  Fenshawe,  after  he  had  glanced  through 
the  letters  which  Irene  brought  to  him. 

"  I  hope  so.  Mrs.  Haxton  went  off  in  such  a  hurry 
that  I  forgot  to  mention  it." 

"Was  it  illness,  or  anxiety,  that  sent  her  to  the 
yacht?" 

"A  little  of  both,  I  fancy.  But  why  should  she  be 
anxious?  She  did  not  know  that  matters  had  gone 
wrong  at  the  fort." 

"  I  think  she  made  a  shrewd  guess,  but  was  unwilling 
to  alarm  you.  That  is  why  she  sent  Mr.  Royson  after 
us.  By  the  way,  what  did  she  tell  him  to  do  ?  " 

"I  have  no  idea,"  said  Irene  coldly. 

"That  is  odd,  distinctly  odd.  I  meant  to  ask  him, 
but  forgot  it  in  my  excitement." 

"  He  will  be  here  in  a  few  minutes,"  said  she,  with  a 
livelier  interest. 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  door.  A  negro  waiter 
had  something  to  say,  and  she  gathered  from  a  jumble 
of  Italian  and  Arabic  that  a  native  wished  to  see  the 
Signora  Haxton.  The  man  pronounced  the  name 
plainly,  so  there  could  be  no  mistake  as  to  his  meaning, 
and  Irene  answered: 

"  The  Signora  is  not  here." 

Mr.  Fenshawe  was  immersed  in  his  letters  again, 
but  he  looked  up. 

"What  is  it?"  he  demanded. 
149 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"Some  man  is  asking  for  Mrs.  Haxton,"  she  told 
him. 

"Better  go  and  interview  him.  If  he  can  tell  us 
anything,  bring  him  here." 

She  went  down-stairs  with  the  attendant.  He 
pointed  to  a  muffled  Arab  near  the  door,  who  salaamed 
deeply  the  instant  she  appeared. 

"  What  do  you  want  ?  "  she  said,  in  Italian,  and  the 
Arab  silently  indicated  a  closed  vehicle  drawn  up  close 
to  the  curb  in  front  of  the  hotel.  Thinking  there  was 
some  visitor  inside  who  did  not  wish  to  alight,  she 
went  forward  without  hesitation.  The  dim,  smoke- 
laden  street  was  unusually  crowded,  she  thought,  but 
she  gave  no  attention  to  the  passers-by,  as  the  Arab 
had  opened  the  door  of  the  dingy-looking  vehicle,  and 
she  expected  to  find  an  occupant  peering  out  at  her. 

The  conveyance  was  empty! 

"There  is  some  mistake,"  she  said,  glancing  from 
the  dark  interior  to  a  Somali  driver,  and  then  back  to 
the  silent  messenger.  Suddenly  she  had  an  unnerving 
consciousness  that  several  other  white-sheeted  figures 
had  crept  stealthily  between  her  and  the  doorway. 
With  a  little  cry  of  alarm,  she  turned  and  strove  to  re- 
enter  the  hotel.  Instantly  she  was  swept  off  her  feet, 
a  coarse  hand  closed  on  her  mouth,  and  she  was  dragged 
with  brutal  force  into  the  carriage.  She  saw  spring 
into  existence  what  seemed  to  be  a  murderous  fracas 
among  a  dozen  men.  The  street  was  filled  with 
clamor,  and  the  pavement  was  blocked  with  struggling 
forms.  Knives  flashed,  brawny-armed  Arabs  closed 

150 


Massowah  Asserts  Itself 

in  deadly  combat,  and  cursed  each  other  with  all  the 
rich  repertory  of  Islam.  Of  course,  people  tried  to 
rush  from  the  vestibule  of  the  hotel  to  ascertain  what 
was  causing  the  tumult.  But  the  fighters  filled  the 
doorway  so  that  none  could  enter  or  leave  the  building, 
and,  in  the  midst  of  the  alarm  and  confusion,  the  pair 
of  Somali  ponies  attached  to  the  ramshackle  vehicle 
were  whipped  into  a  fast  gallop.  Then  the  riot  sub- 
sided as  quickly  as  it  arose,  and,  were  it  not  that  Irene 
was  gone,  no  one  appeared  to  be  much  the  worse. 


151 


CHAPTER  IX 

A   GALLOP  IN  THE   DARK 

SEVERAL  minor  rills  of  events  combined  to  produce 
this  tempestuous  torrent  at  the  door  of  the  Hotel 
Grande  del  Universo,  and  any  level-headed  man  ac- 
quainted with  their  meanderings  might  come  to  the 
just  conclusion  that  Irene  had  been  kidnapped  in 
mistake  for  Mrs.  Haxton.  He  might  have  deplored 
the  blunder,  but,  leaving  out  of  count  any  humane 
consideration  for  the  girl's  feelings,  he  must  have 
admired  the  stage-craft  displayed  by  her  abductors. 
If  cool  skill  were  worthy  of  success  they  had  earned  it 
in  full  measure.  In  fact,  the  achievement  would  have 
ranked  high  in  the  villainous  annals  of  Massowah 
were  it  not  for  the  blind  chance  that  separated  Mulai 
Hamed  from  Royson  two  hours  earlier. 

The  sun  sank  behind  the  highlands  of  Abyssinia 
while  the  Effendi  awaited  the  Governor's  return  in 
the  guard-room  of  the  fort.  Thereupon  his  guide, 
being  an  orthodox  Mahomedan,  faced  towards 
Mecca,  knelt  by  the  roadside,  and  bowed  his  forehead 
in  the  dust.  Another  devout  follower  of  the  Prophet 
joined  him,  and  the  two  chanted  their  prayers  in 
unison.  It  is  said  that  hymns  are  seldom  sung  with 

152 


A  Gallop  in  the  Dark 

such  gusto  as  in  convict  settlements,  and,  appraised  by 
this  standard,  Mulai  Hamed  and  his  casual  companion 
were  accomplished  rascals,  for  they  rattled  off  the 
Salat  and  the  Sunnah  unctuously,  and  performed  the 
genuflections  and  prostrations  of  the  Reka  with  mili- 
tary precision. 

Then  they  exchanged  news.  Mulai  Hamed,  telling 
of  the  Giaours  in  the  hotel,  was  vastly  surprised  to  hear 
from  his  brother  Mussulman,  a  cook  in  the  fort,  that 
two  of  the  Effendis  were  prisoners.  But  the  cook  soon 
hastened  away  to  decapitate  certain  skinny  fowls  which 
would  form  the  basis  of  a  Risotto  al  pollastro  for  dinner 
at  the  officer's  mess,  leaving  Mulai  Hamed  to  wonder 
if,  perhaps,  the  tall  Effendi  had  also  been  kept  in 
durance  vile,  until  he  saw  Mr.  Fenshawe  and  Royson 
being  whirled  off  in  the  Governor's  carriage  along  the 
sea  front. 

He  cursed  both  of  them  in  suitable  terms,  and  started 
on  the  long  walk  to  the  hotel.  Being  a  born  gossip,  he 
chose  the  livelier  route  of  the  main  street,  which  might 
yield  a  meeting  with  another  acquaintance.  This 
divergence  led  him  near  the  Elephant  Mosque.  Ab- 
dullah, wearied  of  the  rendezvous  arranged  by  Mrs. 
Haxton  for  von  Kerber,  detected  Mulai  Hamed's 
badge,  and  sought  information. 

"Brother,"  said  he,  "I  would  have  speech  of  thee." 

"  Say  on,"  was  the  courteous  reply,  for  Mulai  Hamed 
was  flattered  at  being  addressed  thus  by  a  man  of 
distinction. 

"There  be  certain  Giaours  at  thy  caravanserai,  an 
153 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

old  man,  a  fat  man  like  a  bull,  a  young  man  who 
stands  more  than  a  cubit  high,  and  a  thin  man,  the 
Hakim  Effendi,  whom  I  await  here.  Hast  thou  any 
knowledge  of  them  ?  " 

Mulai  Hamed  checked  the  list  carefully. 

"It  must  be,"  said  he  at  last,  "that  the  Hakim 
Effendi  is  in  jail,  for  the  others  I  have  seen,  but  not 
him." 

Abdullah  was  annoyed.  He,  a  pure-blooded  Bed- 
ouin of  the  desert,  had  already  made  a  great  con- 
cession in  using  the  word  "  brother  "  to  one  of  mixed 
race. 

"I  asked  not  for  folly,"  he  muttered.  "That  is  the 
answer  of  a  drunken  Frank." 

"Nay,  friend,  I  speak  truly.  May  I  never  drink  at 
the  White  Pond  of  the  Prophet  if  I  have  not  told  thee 
even  that  which  I  have  heard." 

Abdullah  swallowed  his  wrath,  listened  to  Mulai 
Hamed's  story,  and  was  convinced.  Notwithstanding 
Mrs.  Haxton's  prohibition,  it  was  now  essential  that  he 
should  see  her  without  delay,  so  he  accompanied  the 
deputy  assistant  hall-porter  in  the  direction  of  the 
hotel.  As  they  went,  they  met  a  rickety  closed  car- 
riage being  driven  at  a  furious  rate  down  a  side  street, 
and  both  men  thought  it  was  making  for  the  mile-long 
causeway  which  connects  the  island  of  Massowah  with 
the  mainland. 

"Who  travels  in  such  a  hurry?"  asked  Abdullah, 
looking  after  the  swaying  vehicle. 

"Perchance  a  kafila  starts  for  the  interior  to-night," 
154 


A  Gallop  in  the  Dark 

said  Mulai  Hamed.  But  the  turmoil  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  hotel  now  drew  their  attention,  and  they  ran  with 
others,  for  public  blood-letting  is  ever  an  attractive 
pastime  to  those  who  form  the  audience. 

Dick  was  then  leaving  the  telegraph-office,  whence 
he  had  despatched  a  cablegram  on  his  own  account. 
Bare  civility  demanded  that  he  should  acknowledge 
Mr.  Forbes 's  various  communications,  so  he  sent  the 
brief  message:  "Writing,  Royson,"  which,  he  thought, 
covered  the  ground  sufficiently.  Before  rejoining  Mr. 
Fenshawe  and  Irene,  he  walked  a  little  way  towards 
the  harbor,  and,  as  he  half  expected,  met  Stump 
returning  from  the  yacht. 

He  proceeded  to  astonish  that  stout  mariner  with 
the  evening's  budget,  but  Stump  had  been  thinking 
things  out  in  his  own  fashion,  and  he  set  forth  a  theory 
which  apparently  accounted  for  von  Kerber's  discom- 
fiture. 

"You  see,  it's  this  way,"  said  he.  "These  bloomin' 
I-talians  have  got  the  griffin  about  that  treasure.  And 
who  gev'  it  to  'em  ?  Why,  that  chap  who  arranged  the 
hold-up  at  Marseilles.  You  said  nothin'  much  about 
it,  which  was  right  an'  proper,  but  Tagg  is  sharper 'n 
he  looks,  an'  he  tole  me  that  a  paper  was  nicked  out  of 
von  Kerber's  pocket.  That  paper  put  the  sharks  on 
the  scent.  They  got  ahead  of  the  Aphrodite  by  catchin' 
the  Indian  mail  ai  Brindisi,  an'  had  everything  cut  an' 
dried  for  us  when  we  dropped  anchor  here.  Miss  Irene 
an'  me  spotted  one  of  'em  watchin'  the  hotel  this 
afternoon." 

155 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"I  believe  that  man  was  Alfieri,"  said  Dick.  "In- 
deed, Mrs.  Haxton  admitted  it  to  me,  and  it  was  his 
unexpected  appearance  that  caused  her  to  beat  a 
retreat." 

"An'  who's  Mr.  Alfie  Wot's-his-name ? "  broke  in 
Stump. 

"  I'm  sorry.  I  forgot  that  you  had  not  heard  of  him. 
He  is  the  man  who  secured  the  papyrus,  or  paper,  at 
Marseilles.  Both  Mrs.  Haxton  and  the  Baron  are 
afraid  of  him." 

"You  seem  to  know  a  dooce  of  a  lot  about  this 
business,"  exclaimed  the  skipper  testily. 

"  I  cannot  help  that  —  I  have  been  dragged  into  it  in 
many  ways,  each  peculiar,  and  hardly  credible  when 
considered  collectively.  I  promise  you,  captain,  that  I 
shall  tell  you  the  whole  story  one  of  these  days.  Mean- 
while, I  think  that  the  sooner  we  are  at  Aden  the  better 
it  will  be  for  Mr.  Fenshawe  and  the  ladies,  and  I  offer 
you  the  respectful  advice  that  you  should  back  up 
Miss  Fenshawe  if  she  tries  to  persuade  her  grandfather 
to  go  there  at  once." 

"Funny  thing,"  growled  Stump,  "but  them's  Mrs. 
Haxton 's  very  words  as  I  helped  her  up  the  ship's 
ladder.  Hello!  Where's  the  fire?  Unless  I'm  much 
mistaken,  young  feller,  there's  a  first-class  row  goin' 
on  outside  our  bloomin'  cafe.  No,  no,  don't  you  butt 
in  among  Arabs  as  though  you  was  strollin'  down 
Edgware  Road  on  a  Saturday  night,  an'  get  mixed  up 
in  a  coster  rough-an '-tumble.  These  long-legged  swine 
would  knife  you  just  for  the  fun  of  it.  Keep  full  an' 

156 


A  Gallop  in  the  Dark 

by,  an'  let  any  son  of  a  gun  who  comes  too  near  have 
it  where  it'll  stop  him." 

Stump's  sound  precautions  were  unnecessary.  None 
of  the  combatants  approached  them.  Indeed,  the 
struggle  ceased  as  quickly  as  it  began,  and  they  were 
in  the  hotel  before  the  frightened  servants  dared  make 
known  the  thrilling  fact  that  the  young  lady  was 
missing.  The  negro  who  accompanied  her  down-stairs 
was  positive  that  she  had  gone  off  of  her  own  accord 
in  the  carriage  that  was  standing  outside,  but  Mr. 
Fenshawe's  frantic  protestations  when  the  scared  man- 
ager told  him  what  had  happened  convinced  Royson 
that  the  servant's  statement  was  wildly  absurd.  More- 
over, it  became  clearer  each  second  that  Mrs.  Haxton, 
and  not  Irene,  was  the  prize  sought  by  the  marauders. 
Royson,  though  in  a  white  heat  of  helpless  rage,  soon 
became  alive  to  this  element  in  an  otherwise  inexplicable 
outrage,  and  endeavored  to  soothe  Mr.  Fenshawe's 
wild-eyed  alarm  by  telling  him  the  girl  would  surely 
be  sent  back  as  soon  as  the  error  was  discovered. 

There  was  no  time  for  explanations.  All  was  panic 
and  useless  running  to  and  fro.  A  messenger  was  sent 
to  summon  the  police,  and  matters  were  in  a  state  of 
chaos  when  Royson  was  approached  by  an  Arab  whose 
clearly-chiseled  features,  arched  eyebrows  and  high 
cheek-bones  showed  that  he  was  of  different  lineage  to 
the  hybrids  of  the  coast.  His  carriage,  too,  was  that 
of  a  man  of  consequence,  and  he  wore  his  burnous 
rather  in  the  Algerian  style.  This  was  Abdullah,  who 
had  gathered  from  the  negro's  now  almost  incoherent 

157 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

words  that  Mrs.  Haxton  had  been  spirited  away  in  the 
carriage.  He  had  his  own  reasons  for  believing  that 
the  lady  would  encounter  difficulties  in  Massowah,  and 
the  man  spoke  her  name  readily,  whereas  Miss  Fen- 
shawe's  was  unknown  to  either  of  them. 

"Monsieur,"  said  he,  addressing  Dick  quietly  in 
excellent  French,  "  can  you  ride  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Dick,  hoping  against  hope  that  this 
calm-eyed  stranger  might  be  able  to  give  him  some 
sorely  needed  clue  as  to  the  manner,  at  least,  of  Irene's 
capture. 

"Come  with  me,  then,"  continued  Abdullah,  in  the 
same  guarded  tone.  "I  think  I  may  be  able  to  find 
out  where  Madame  has  been  taken." 

"You  can  demand  your  own  reward  if  you  speak 
truly,"  said  Dick.  "Let  me  bring  you  to  Mr.  Fen- 
shawe.  He  will  tell  you  — " 

"  I  seek  the  aid  of  none  but  you,"  whispered  Abdullah. 
"  I  come  to  you  only  because  you  are  a  European,  and 
I  must  have  some  one  to  justify  me  lest  trouble  should 
arise.  I  am  unknown  here,  and  my  words  would  fall 
on  deaf  ears.  You  look  like  a  man  who  can  handle 
affairs.  Come,  monsieur,  we  are  losing  time." 

"But  I  must  tell  my  friends." 

"No,  that  is  not  to  be  thought  of,  monsieur.  If  I 
am  right,  you  and  I  alone  must  deal  with  this  affair. 
These  others  are  excited.  They  will  shout  their  news 
to  the  whole  bazaar.  And,  if  we  fail,  we  shall  return 
in  half  an  hour.  Not  a  word  to  any  one,  but  follow 
me." 

158 


A  Gallop  in  the  Dark 

Abdullah  had  the  air  of  a  man  who  knew  his  own 
mind.  He  strode  away  at  once  without  looking  to 
right  or  left,  and  Royson  yielded  to  the  impulse  which 
bade  him  not  hesitate  but  accept  the  proffered  assist- 
ance in  the  search  for  Irene.  Action  of  any  sort  was 
preferable  to  a  maddening  wait  for  tardy  officialdom, 
so  he  hastened  after  the  Arab. 

The  latter  turned  into  the  first  side  street.  The 
absence  of  lamps,  and  a  thin  stratum  of  smoke  clinging 
to  the  surface  of  the  ground,  made  the  gloom  almost 
impenetrable,  but  Abdullah  kept  on  with  unhesitating 
steps,  and  Royson  walked  behind  him  rather  than  risk 
the  chance  of  colliding  with  the  strange  shapes  of  men 
and  animals  which  often  loomed  up  abruptly  out  of 
the  void. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  smoke-cloud  cleared,  and  he 
found  that  they  had  reached  the  outskirts  of  the  native 
quarter.  The  houses  were  no  longer  huddled  together; 
small  hovels  took  the  place  of  cramped  and  lofty  tene- 
ments. Soon  he  could  see  dark  masses  of  hills  sil- 
houetted against  the  sky,  where  its  dense  blue  merged 
into  the  amber  and  green  of  the  last  flicker  of  daylight. 
Not  far  distant,  a  sheet  of  water,  still  as  a  mirror, 
reflected  sky  and  hills  in  even  more  pronounced  chia- 
roscuro, and  he  had  just  distinguished  the  straight  black 
ridge  of  the  landward  causeway  when  Abdullah  dived 
into  a  wattle-built  hut. 

The  Arab  had  not  uttered  a  syllable  during  their 
rapid  walk,  and  Royson  determined  not  to  question 
him,  since  his  offer  of  help  was  made  voluntarily,  and 

159 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

he  seemed  to  prefer  silence  to  speech.  The  Englishman 
was  undecided  whether  or  not  to  enter  the  hut,  which 
was  apparently  untenanted,  but  the  eager  whinny 
of  a  horse  quickly  explained  Abdullah's  disappearance. 
There  was  some  stamping  of  unshod  hoofs  on  the 
hard  earth,  some  straining  of  girths  and  clink  of  steel, 
and  the  Arab  led  forth  a  slenderly  built  animal  which, 
at  first  sight,  seemed  to  be  far  too  light  for  a  rider  of 
Dick's  proportions. 

The  horse's  owner,  however,  showed  no  misgivings 
on  this  point.  He  handed  the  bridle  to  Dick. 

"Attendez  id  un  moment,  s'il  vous  plait,  monsieur," 
he  said,  and  ran  off  towards  another  hut.  The  horse 
tried  to  follow  its  master,  and  Royson  found  distraction 
for  a  jumble  of  incoherent  thoughts  in  the  need  there 
was  to  restrain  its  fretfulness.  The  animal  was  afraid 
of  him;  in  all  probability  it  had  never  before  been 
handled  by  a  European,  but  Dick  spoke  to  it  in  the 
lingua  franca  of  the  stable,  and  he  was  soon  allowed 
to  stroke  the  arched  neck  and  twine  his  fingers  in  the 
thick  yellow  mane. 

Abdullah  did  not  return  so  speedily  as  was  his  intent. 
He  had  gone  to  borrow  another  mount,  and  met  with 
delay,  because  the  owner  was  in  the  bazaar.  But 
fortune  helped  him  by  sending  the  man  back  earlier 
than  usual  for  the  evening  meal,  and  when  he  cantered 
up  after  an  absence  of  ten  minutes,  he  lost  no  more 
time. 

"You  are  sure  you  can  ride  well,  monsieur?"  he 
demanded. 

160 


A  Gallop  in  the  Dark 

"Quite  sure." 

"  Into  the  saddle,  then,  and  let  the  reins  hang  loose. 
Moti  will  carry  you  safely,  and  it  is  but  a  broken  road 
over  the  bridge." 

Away  they  went,  crossing  some  rough  ground  at  an 
easy  gallop,  and  Dick  had  his  first  experience  of  the 
remarkable  sure-footedness  of  the  Arab  horse  in  his 
proper  environment.  Moti  moved  with  the  long  lope 
of  a  greyhound,  and  used  eyes  and  intelligence  as  well 
as  feet.  The  pace  set  by  Abdullah  on  the  uneven 
causeway  seemed  to  be  dangerous,  and  would  have 
brought  down  any  animals  but  those  accustomed  to 
stone-strewn  valleys  or  deserts  in  which  patches  of  soft 
sand  alternate  with  bare  rock.  When  the  mainland 
was  reached,  Royson  rode  alongside  his  companion. 

"  Where  are  we  going  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  To  a  village.  It  is  not  far  distant.  There  we  may 
obtain  news." 

They  pressed  on.  Were  it  not  for  the  nature  of  his 
errand,  Dick  would  have  enjoyed  the  ride  greatly,  for 
the  current  of  cool  air  was  pleasing  after  the  heat  of 
Massowah,  and  Moti  carried  him  as  though  he  were  a 
feather-weight.  But  his  heart  was  too  care-laden  to 
enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  adventure.  Of  all  the  queer 
incidents  of  an  eventful  day  this  gallop  into  an  unknown 
land  was  the  queerest.  He  could  not  help  asking  him- 
self if  he  had  done  right.  Yet  the  reassuring  answer 
came  instantly.  He  had  left  indecision  behind  when 
he  agreed  to  the  Arab's  conditions,  and  it  was  surely 
better  to  try  whatever  fixed  plan  the  other  had  in  mind 

161 


The  Wheel  oy  Fortune 

than  remain  in  Massowah,  a  prey  to  hopeless,  purpose- 
less agony.  For  he  knew  now  what  it  would  mean  to 
him  if  Irene  Fenshawe  were  reft  from  his  life,  and  the 
knowledge  made  his  eyes  blaze,  and  sent  the  passionate 
blood  coursing  through  his  veins. 

"Easily,  monsieur.     This  is  the  place." 

The  Arab's  strong,  somewhat  harsh,  voice,  though 
pitched  in  a  key  not  meant  to  reach  too  far,  brought 
Royson  back  to  his  senses.  Imitating  his  guide,  he 
tightened  the  reins  and  pulled  Moti  to  a  walk.  Then 
he  made  another  discovery.  They  were  on  a  Govern- 
ment road,  which  happened,  at  that  point,  to  have  a 
smooth  surface,  and  Moti  stumbled  disgracefully,  for 
your  true  desert  Arab  will  fall  over  himself  when  he 
no  longer  needs  to  exercise  his  wits  in  order  to  keep 
his  feet. 

Behind  a  tumble-down  hut  a  fire  was  blazing.  Some 
men  were  squatted  around  a  tripod  which  supported  a 
large  iron  pot.  One  was  speaking,  and  even  Royson's 
untrained  ear  recognized  the  measured  cadence  of  the 
story-teller.  A  rumble  of  laughter  showed  that  the 
protest  of  some  discomfited  rogue  or  some  wise  moullah's 
saw  had  just  tickled  the  audience  when  Abdullah  leaped 
from  the  saddle  and  approached  the  circle. 

"Peace  be  with  you,  brethren,"  said  he,  bowing 
gravely. 

The  story-teller  broke  off  abruptly.  One  of  the  men 
rose  and  replied: 

"  With  you  be  peace,  brother,  and  the  mercy  of  God, 
and  His  blessings." 

162 


A  Gallop  in  the  Dark 

This  formula  made  it  certain  that  the  group  near  the 
fire  were  Mahomedans.  "Es-salamu  aleikum!"  is  at 
once  the  test  of  the  believer  and  the  "  Open,  Sesame ! " 
of  the  desert.  Abdullah  was  sure  now  of  a  hearing, 
sure  even  of  counsel  and  assistance,  provided  that  his 
interests  did  not  run  counter  to  theirs. 

Royson,  dismounting  for  the  sake  of  Moti,  watched 
Abdullah's  face  in  the  flickering  light  of  the  fire  to 
learn  whether  or  not  he  was  receiving  the  expected 
news.  He  might  as  well  have  sought  inspiration  from 
the  starry  vault  overhead.  But  he  was  not  long  kept 
in  suspense.  After  the  exchange  of  a  few  sentences 
with  the  man  who  had  returned  his  salutation,  Abdullah 
vouchsafed  a  brief  translation. 

"  Not  many  minutes  ago  a  carriage  passed  this  way. 
It  took  the  road  to  the  left,  where  it  forks,  not  a  hundred 
meters  distant.  We  must  ride  hard,  monsieur,  for  the 
driver  was  flogging  his  beasts.  Perhaps  we  may  have 
good  fortune." 

They  were  up,  and  away,  thrusting  into  the  darkness 
in  a  fast  gallop.  At  the  parting  of  the  roads  they  took 
the  southern  track,  and  the  land  almost  immediately 
became  hilly.  They  eased  the  horses  somewhat  during 
a  long  upward  climb,  but  a  plateau,  followed  by  a 
gentle  descent  towards  the  shore,  gave  them  a  chance 
of  mending  the  pace,  and  the  wiry  Arabs  beneath  them 
seemed  to  know  that  the  more  quickly  the  miles  were 
covered  the  less  distance  would  they  be  called  on  to 
travel. 

On  the  level  again,  where  the  occulting  beam  of  the 
163 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Massowah  lighthouse  was  hidden  by  the  buildings  on 
the  island,  they  unexpectedly  came  upon  a  disabled 
vehicle.  It  was  tilted  on  the  side  of  the  road  in  a  way 
that  suggested  a  broken  wheel,  and  a  man  was  holding 
two  ponies  which  had  been  taken  out  of  the  traces. 

Abdullah  pulled  his  steed  almost  on  to  its  haunches, 
so  suddenly  did  he  draw  rein.  He  pushed  close  to  the 
horse-tender,  a  Somali,  and  a  fierce  dialogue  broke  out, 
which  ended  in  the  wrathful  statement  to  Royson: 

"  This  son  of  a  slave  says  that  this  is  not  the  carriage 
which  passed  me  in  the  bazaar.  I  believe  he  is  lying, 
but  what  can  I  do  ?  " 

Dick,  meanwhile,  had  ascertained  that  the  convey- 
ance was  empty.  His  gorge  rose  at  the  thought  that 
Irene  might  be  near  him  at  that  moment,  yet  prevented 
by  some  ruffian  from  making  known  her  presence.  The 
belief  was  torturing;  it  impelled  him  to  a  deed  which, 
in  calmer  mood,  he  would  have  declared  foreign  to  his 
nature. 

Handing  Moti  to  Abdullah's  care,  he  went  so  near 
to  the  driver,  a  man  of  powerful  build,  that  he  could 
look  into  his  sullen  face.  With  a  quickness  born  of 
many  a  bout  with  the  gloves,  he  seized  the  Somali  by 
the  wrists,  causing  him  to  let  go  the  ponies'  bridles. 
Then,  heedless  of  struggles  and  oaths,  he  backed  him 
a  little  space,  threw  him  off  his  feet,  and  three  times 
whirled  him  through  the  air  around  his  head.  It  was 
an  exhibition  of  strength  that  forced  a  cry  of  amazement 
even  from  Abdullah. 

"Now  tell  him,"  said  Dick,  when  the  panting  and 
164 


A  Gallop  in  the  Dark 

terrified  native  was  allowed  to  stand  upright  again, 
"tell  him  that  if  he  does  not  speak  the  truth,  I  shall 
take  him  by  the  ankles  and  beat  out  his  brains  against 
the  rocks  in  that  same  way." 

"By  the  Holy  Kaaba!"  chuckled  Abdullah,  "that 
would  be  worth  seeing." 

He  conquered  his  desire  sufficiently  to  put  the  threat 
into  blood-curdling  Arabic,  and  the  Somali  whined  that 
he  was  a  poor  man,  who  only  obeyed  orders,  but,  if 
the  god-like  Nazarene  would  spare  his  life,  he  was  ready 
to  tell  all  he  knew. 

"  Speak,  then,  and  quickly,"  growled  Abdullah,  "  for 
the  Effendi  understands  thee  not,  and  he  may  lose 
patience." 

The  driver  stammered  something  which  almost 
roused  the  Arab  to  excitement. 

"  Throw  that  dog  aside,  monsieur,"  he  cried.  "  They 
are  taking  the  lady  to  a  boat.  The  place  agreed  for 
the  meeting  is  yet  nearly  a  thousand  meters  in  front. 
Let  us  see  what  our  horses  can  do." 

They  were  off  before  he  had  finished  speaking,  but 
Abdullah  smiled  as  he  rode. 

"Bismillah!"  he  muttered,  "that  is  a  fine  trick.  I 
must  learn  it." 

On  through  the  night  they  went,  and  happily  the 
broken  land  receded  here  a  little  from  the  shore,  leaving 
the  road  straight  and  fairly  visible. 

They  had  gone  half  a  mile  or  more,  and  Royson  was 
beginning  to  fear  that  either  the  Somali  had  been 
daring  enough  to  mislead  them  or  that  Irene's  guards 

165 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

had  been  warned  by  the  noise  of  their  advance  and 
were  crouching  behind  a  clump  of  reeds  until  they 
passed,  when  Abdullah  lifted  a  restraining  hand,  and 
slackened  pace. 

Though  the  night  was  clear,  and  neighboring  objects 
were  quite  discernible,  Royson  failed  to  pierce  the 
further  darkness.  He  strained  his  eyes,  but  could  see 
nothing,  while  the  Arab  seemed  to  have  a  sixth  sense 
which  warned  him  that  there  were  others  near.  They 
pulled  up,  and  listened.  Dick  could  hear  only  the 
labored  breathing  of  their  horses,  yet  Abdullah  was 
evidently  satisfied  that  their  long  chase  was  drawing  to 
an  end. 

"  Bear  to  the  left,  monsieur,"  he  whispered.  "  They 
are  there,  by  the  water's  edge.  When  I  give  the  word, 
ride  apart  lest  they  fire  at  us,  though  they  will  hardly 
dare  do  that,  lest  we  might  prove  to  be  soldiers  from 
the  garrison.  Are  you  armed  ?  " 

"  Sufficiently,"  said  Dick  grimly. 

He  felt  able  to  tear  any  one  limb  from  limb  who 
resisted  him.  Once  sure  of  his  quarry,  he  would  give 
short  shrift.  So  they  crept  on,  until  the  Arab  shouted 
"Now!"  and  started  off  at  a  canter.  Dick  realized 
that  the  circling  movement  was  best,  as  it  suggested 
an  attack  in  force,  so  he  took  a  slight  detour.  He  was 
closing  in  again  before  he  perceived  some  irregular 
shadows,  showing  black  against  the  translucent  film 
of  smooth  water.  That  sufficed.  He  thundered  on 
ahead  of  Abdullah,  who,  perhaps,  thought  it  advisable 
to  leave  this  final  development  in  the  hands  of  a  Euro- 

166 


A  Gallop  in  the  Dark 

pean.  There  was  a  scurry  among  a  small  knot  of  men 
on  the  beach.  A  sharp  hail  was  answered  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  from  the  sea.  Royson  rode  with  such 
furious  speed  that  he  now  made  out  a  white-robed 
female  figure  struggling  in  the  grasp  of  a  man  attired 
in  the  burnous  and  hood  of  a  coast  Arab. 

"Is  that  you,  Miss  Fenshawe?"  he  roared. 

At  the  sound  of  an  English  voice  three  men  scattered 
and  fled  like  rabbits,  but  the  fourth,  he  who  clutched 
the  woman,  set  her  at  liberty  and  drew  a  long  knife. 
He  bellowed  forth  some  order,  and  another  shout  came 
from  the  sea.  Then  he  poised  himself  ready  to  strike. 
Royson  was  within  a  horse's  length,  leaning  forward  in 
the  saddle,  when  he  caught  the  gleam  of  the  uplifted 
weapon.  At  the  same  instant  he  recognized  Irene,  and 
saw  that  she  was  gagged,  and  her  hands  were  tied 
behind  her  back.  But  her  feet  were  free,  and  she 
deliberately  kicked  the  Arab's  ankle,  thereby  discon- 
certing his  murderous  thrust  and  nearly  bringing  him 
to  the  ground. 

Then  Royson's  clenched  fist  fell  like  a  sledge-hammer 
on  his  adversary's  skull,  and  the  man  collapsed  with  a 
broken  neck.  Moti,  well  named  "  the  Pearl,"  seemed 
to  play  this  sort  of  game  with  the  skill  that  a  trained 
polo-pony  shows  in  following  the  ball.  He  stopped 
almost  of  his  own  accord,  wheeled,  and  allowed  Dick 
to  lift  the  girl  in  his  arms. 

Abdullah,  who  did  not  attempt  to  pursue  the 
others,  had  not  failed  to  note  the  rapid  approach  of 
a  boat. 

167 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"Quick,  now,  monsieur,"  he  said.  "Make  for  the 
road!" 

As  they  cantered  off  they  heard  some  shouting  in 
Arabic,  and  a  few  words  of  Italian,  but  Dick  was 
looking  into  Irene's  eyes.  He  was  conscious  only  that 
he  held  her  in  a  close  embrace.  His  heart  was  thumping 
against  his  ribs.  For  one  who  had  proved  himself  cool 
in  an  emergency  he  betrayed  all  the  symptoms  of 
unusual  excitement. 

"Are  you  uninjured?"  he  asked,  with  a  marvelous 
tenderness  in  his  voice,  while  his  lips  were  very  near 
to  her  swathed  cheek. 

She  nodded.  He  fancied  he  caught  a  smile  in  her 
eyes.  He  did  not  know  how  lover-like  was  his  clasp. 

"We  shall  stop  soon  and  release  your  bonds,"  he 
whispered.  "Thank  God  I  was  able  to  find  you." 

Again  he  believed  she  smiled,  but  those  beautiful 
brown  eyes  of  hers  seemed  to  fill  with  tears.  He  set 
his  teeth,  and  breathed  hard,  but  he  was  too  wary  to 
jeopardize  success  by  halting  until  all  danger  of  pursuit 
had  disappeared.  Then  he  pulled  up,  dismounted, 
and  lifted  Irene  to  the  ground.  She  was  gagged  so 
tightly  that  he  had  to  exercise  some  care  in  cutting  the 
knotted  strips  of  linen  which  bound  her  face  and  head. 
A  piece  of  coarse  sacking  had  been  thrust  into  her 
mouth,  and  she  scarce  had  the  power  to  utter  a  word 
when  the  brutal  contrivance  was  withdrawn. 

"  Oh,  Air.  Royson,"  she  managed  to  gasp,  "  how  can 
I  thank  you!" 

"By  not  trying  to  talk  until  you  feel  better,"  said 
168 


A  Gallop  in  the  Dark 

Dick.  "  There  is  a  village  not  far  away,  and  we  should 
at  least  obtain  some  water  there." 

He  was  bending  over  her  wrists  in  his  anxiety  not  to 
hurt  her  unduly  while  he  severed  a  stout  rope,  and  he 
could  not  see  the  expression  of  sheer  bewilderment 
which  again  mastered  the  usually  impassive  features 
of  Abdullah.  The  Arab  had  yielded  to  unwonted 
surprise  when  he  saw  Royson  use  a  man  as  flail,  but 
the  removal  of  the  gag,  and  the  consequent  revelation 
of  Irene's  identity,  nearly  stupefied  him. 

"  May  jackals  defile  my  grave,"  he  muttered,  "  but 
this  is  the  wrong  woman!  Here  have  I,  Abdullah  the 
Spear-thrower,  been  befooled  by  a  black  slave  in  the 
caravanserai.  What  have  I  done?  By  the  beard  of 
the  Prophet,  what  shall  I  say  if  her  capture  was  part 
of  the  Hakim  Effendi's  plan?" 


169 


CHAPTER  X 

THE   CALM   BEFORE  THE   STORM 

WHEN  Irene  was  freed  from  her  bonds  she  sighed 
deeply,  uttered  a  little  sob  as  though  her  soul  had 
fluttered  to  her  lips,  and  sank  into  Royson's  arms.  In 
the  ever-growing  darkness  he  had  not  realized  earlier 
how  acute  was  the  torture  she  was  enduring.  She 
must  have  experienced  some  difficulty  in  breathing, 
owing  to  the  outrageous  manner  in  which  her  mouth 
and  nostrils  were  covered.  Yet,  to  render  her  quite 
helpless,  her  wrists  were  tied  with  such  cruel  force 
that  they  became  swollen  and  stiff,  and  her  delicate 
skin  was  chafed  until  it  galled  beneath  the  rope. 

While  Royson  was  carrying  her  on  the  high-peaked 
Arab  saddle,  the  strain  grew  almost  intolerable;  but 
her  brave  heart  did  not  flinch  under  that  exquisite  pain. 
Though  she  could  not  speak,  she  strove  to  reward  him 
with  a  valiant  smile,  and  even  conquered  the  gush  of 
tears  that  gave  momentary  tribute  to  her  agony. 

And  now  she  lay  in  a  dead  faint,  pallid  and  inert, 
while  Royson  said  bitter  things  about  Alfieri.  He 
blamed  the  Italian  for  all  this  mad  business,  and 
vowed  harsh  vengeance  on  him  if  ever  they  met  again. 
He  was  quite  unable  to  help  Irene.  He  had  less  than 

170 


The  Calm  before  the  Storm 

the  average  man's  vague  knowledge  of  the  right  treat- 
ment to  adopt  under  such  conditions.  He  imagined 
that  the  hands  and  face  of  a  fainting  woman  should  be 
bathed  in  water,  and  was  about  to  take  her  back  to 
the  shore  when  Abdullah  intervened. 

"  It  is  nothing,  monsieur,"  said  he,  with  true  Eastern 
nonchalance  where  the  opposite  sex  was  concerned. 
"Her  head  and  arms  ache  now  that  her  bonds  are 
removed.  If  Allah  wills  it,  she  should  revive  presently. 
And  we  cannot  remain  here.  Whether  she  live  or  die 
let  us  go  on,  in  God's  name." 

Despite  the  flurry  of  his  new  predicament,  the 
Englishman  caught  a  hint  of  petulance  in  the  Arab's 
tone.  It  denoted  a  change  of  attitude  that  was  all 
the  more  surprising  when  contrasted  with  the  man's 
previous  eagerness  to  serve  him.  But  there  was  sound 
sense  in  the  advice  thus  gruffly  tendered.  He  managed 
to  remount  by  tucking  the  girl's  swaying  form  under 
his  left  arm.  Then  he  pillowed  her  head  on  his  shoul- 
der, and,  letting  the  horse  walk,  strove  to  rub  her 
hands.  Fortunately,  Moti  did  not  stumble.  Perhaps 
the  weight  of  a  double  burthen  suggested  the  need  of 
care,  but,  whatever  the  explanation  of  the  animal's 
excellent  behavior,  they  reached  the  broken-down  car- 
riage without  accident.  The  driver  had  gone  off  with 
his  pair  of  ponies,  but  Abdullah,  ruefully  making  the 
best  of  a  perplexing  situation,  searched  under  the  box 
seat  for  the  porous  earthenware  jar  of  water  which 
is  often  carried  there  in  the  East.  By  good  hap,  he 
found  one,  nearly  half  full. 

171 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"Here,"  he  muttered  impatiently,  "let  her  drink 
some  of  this,  and  pour  the  rest  over  her  head  and 
hands.  Then  the  cold  air  will  freshen  her.  And  be 
quick,  monsieur!  Those  who  follow  will  not  wait  on 
ceremony." 

Royson  substituted  a  soaked  handkerchief  for  Abdul- 
lah's drastic  remedy,  but  he  soon  had  the  satisfaction 
of  seeing  Irene's  lips  move.  Then,  after  testing  the 
water  to  make  sure  it  was  drinkable,  he  gave  her  a 
mouthful,  and,  within  a  few  seconds,  she  was  in  partial 
possession  of  her  senses.  Nevertheless,  for  an  appre- 
ciable time,  her  gallant  spirit  flagged.  She  tried  feebly 
to  brush  the  wet  strands  of  hair  out  of  her  eyes. 

"  Why  are  we  stopping  here  ?  "  she  moaned.  "  Please 
take  me  home.  I  am  so  tired  —  and  thirsty  —  and  my 
mouth  hurts  me.  Where  is  the  yacht?  What  are  we 
doing  here?" 

"I  thought  she  would  recover  soon,"  broke  in  Ab- 
dullah. "Now,  monsieur,  at  all  costs  we  must  reach 
the  town.  The  hour  grows  late.  Ride  on ! " 

It  was  remarkable,  to  say  the  least,  that  one  who  was 
willing  to  face  unknown  odds  in  order  to  effect  the 
girl's  rescue  should  be  so  desperately  anxious  now  to 
get  away  from  a  rather  improbable  pursuit.  Yet 
again,  the  Arab's  suggestion  offered  the  only  practicable 
course,  and  Moti  had  to  bear  a  double  load  while  they 
slowly  climbed  the  hill  down  which  they  dashed  so 
precipitately  before  they  came  upon  the  disabled  vehicle. 
This  time,  Dick  managed  to  seat  his  fair  partner  more 
comfortably.  He  placed  himself  well  back  against  the 

172 


can  tie,  lifted  Irene  across  his  knees,  and  drew  her 
right  arm  around  his  neck. 

Once  more  she  sighed.  Dick  feared  it  was  the 
preliminary  to  another  collapse,  until  she  whispered 
in  delightful  confidence : 

"  I  remember  now,  Mr.  Royson.  I  suppose  I  fainted. 
How  good  you  are  to  me!" 

"  Now,  may  Heaven  be  praised  that  you  are  all  right 
again,"  breathed  Dick  fervently.  "You  gave  me  the 
biggest  sort  of  fright  when  you  nearly  dropped  on  the 
road." 

"  Have  we  far  to  go  before  we  reach  the  hotel  ?  " 

"Several  miles.  It  took  us  about  three-quarters  of 
an  hour  to  overtake  you,  and  we  came  at  a  rare  pace." 

"I  am  sure  I  must  be  making  your  arm  ache." 

She  tried  to  straighten  herself,  and  Royson  missed 
the  warm  fragrance  of  her  hair  against  his  cheek. 

"I  really  think  you  ought  not  to  move,"  said  he, 
with  an  affectation  of  brotherly  solicitude  that  did 
him  credit. 

"Well,  if  I  am  not  wearying  you,"  she  murmured, 
and  the  pretty  head  nestled  contentedly  on  his  shoulder. 
Then,  it  may  be,  she  thought  that  if  necessity  de- 
manded this  lover-like  pose,  she  ought  to  redeem  its 
literalness  by  conversation. 

"Who  is  your  Arab  friend  who  speaks  French  so 
well?"  she  asked.  "It  was  French  I  heard,  was  it 
not?  And  how  in  the  world  did  you  manage  to  find 
out  where  I  was  taken  to  ?  " 

"You  must  thank  our  companion  for  that.  I 
173 


happened  to  meet  Stump  near  the  telegraph-office, 
and  we  saw  a  disturbance  in  the  main  street  near  the 
hotel.  We  hurried  up,  little  imagining  that  it  affected 
you,  and  several  precious  minutes  elapsed  before  we 
discovered  that  you  were  missing.  Mr.  Fenshawe  —  " 

"Ah,  poor,  darling  grandad!  I  hardly  dare  ask 
you  how  he  bore  it.  I  grieved  more  for  him  than  for 
myself.  You  see,  I  knew  it  was  all  a  wretched  mis- 
take. Those  horrid  men  meant  to  carry  off  Mrs. 
Haxton." 

"  I  gathered  as  much  from  what  Mr.  Fenshawe  said. 
Of  course,  he  was  very  greatly  distressed,  but,  if  matters 
go  well  with  us  now,  you  will  be  restored  to  him  in 
another  hour." 

"  I  have  no  fear  of  anything  when  you  are  near,  Mr. 
Royson.  Something  told  me  that  long  ago.  And  that 
is  why  I  was  vexed  with  you  for  leaving  me  this  after- 
noon." 

Dick's  heart  gave  a  great  throb  of  joy,  and  his  voice 
was  somewhat  husky  as  he  answered: 

"I  could  not  help  myself.  The  Italian  whom  you 
and  Captain  Stump  noticed  in  the  street  was  Alfieri. 
Mrs.  Haxton  saw  him,  too,  and  I  would  never  have 
believed  that  terror  could  alter  a  woman's  face  as  it 
altered  hers.  She  begged  of  me  to  find  von  Kerber, 
and  warn  him,  and  I  thought,  perhaps  foolishly,  that  if 
I  obeyed  her  wishes  it  might  bring  about  the  very  thing 
you  and  I  most  desire." 

Irene  did  not  reply  immediately.  She  felt  unaccount- 
ably timid. 

174 


The  Calm  before  the  Storm 

"  It  is  stupid  of  me,  but  I  do  not  quite  follow  your 
meaning,"  she  volunteered  at  last. 

"Well,  you  are  anxious  that  this  expedition  should 
be  abandoned,  and  I  ought  to  return  to  England, 
where  I  am  in  great  demand,  it  seems,  after  some 
years  of  scandalous  neglect." 

"Oh!"  she  said.     "Is  that  it?" 

There  was  another  pause. 

"But  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Haxton,  and  not  I,  should 
be  sitting  here  so  —  so  confidentially  —  does  not  ex- 
plain how  it  comes  about,  does  it?"  she  went  on. 

"  I  was  so  interested  in  what  you  were  saying  that  I 
lost  the  thread  of  my  story.  We  were  listening  to  an 
excited  jabber  of  nonsense  in  the  hotel  —  for  instance, 
one  of  the  negro  servants  said  you  went  away  of  your 
own  free  will  —  and  wondering  what  on  earth  we  could 
do,  when  this  genii  of  an  Arab  came  to  me  in  a  mys- 
terious way,  and  led  me  straight  on  your  track.  Shall 
we  bid  him  discourse?" 

"Oh,  please  do.  It  is  all  so  wonderful.  I  could 
see  through  the  open  windows  of  that  hateful  carriage 
when  we  crossed  the  causeway  and  went  off  to  the  left 
into  a  wild  country.  I  gave  up  hope  then.  Your 
appearance  on  the  beach  was  an  actual  miracle,  to  my 
thinking." 

"  Just  one  word  before  we  tackle  our  guide,"  whis- 
pered Dick,  bringing  his  lips  as  near  hers  as  he  dared. 
"  Though  it  was  dark  enough  down  there  by  the  water, 
I  saw  you  lash  out  at  that  fellow  with  the  knife  at  pre- 
cisely the  right  moment." 

175 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"Don't,  don't!"  she  cried,  shuddering,  and  lifting 
her  eyes  to  his  in  a  fleeting  upward  glance.  "  I  hope 
I  shall  soon  forget  those  few  awful  seconds.  I  knew 
he  meant  to  stab  you,  and  I  wanted  to  scream,  but 
could  not.  He  seemed  to  be  the  leader  of  the  party, 
and  he  flew  into  such  a  rage  when  the  wheel  gave  way 
that  I  really  believe  he  was  ready  to  kill  me  out  of 
spite.  You  knocked  him  down,  didn't  you  ?  It  may 
be  wicked,  but  I  hope  you  hit  him  hard." 

"  Yes,"  said  Dick,  "  I  think  your  score  is  paid  in  that 
instance." 

Her  head  was  bent,  and  she  could  not  see  the  grim 
smile  on  his  lips.  It  was  an  odd  thing  to  remember 
at  that  moment,  but  he  recalled  the  fact  that  Jiis  famous 
ancestor  could  fell  a  bullock  with  his  clenched  fist. 

Abdullah,  when  given  the  opportunity,  was  readier 
to  ply  them  with  questions  than  to  answer  theirs.  He 
said  his  name  was  "El  Jaridiah,"  which  was  true 
enough,  this  being  the  title  he  bore  among  his  fellow- 
tribesmen.  He  also  explained  that  he  met  Mulai 
Hamed,  and  happened  to  see  the  direction  taken  by 
the  vehicle  when  it  dashed  clear  of  the  scrimmage  in 
the  street.  But  he  modestly  disclaimed  any  special 
credit  for  his  share  in  subsequent  events,  stating  that 
he  had  many  friends  among  the  European  colony  at 
Cairo,  and  was  naturally  willing  to  help  a  lady  against 
the  thievish  dogs  who  inhabited  Massowah. 

Yet  Dick  added  a  third  to  these  two  earlier  subtle 
enigmas  in  "El  Jaridiah's"  characteristics  when  he 
heard  the  Arab's  unfeigned  pleasure  at  the  statement 

176 


The  Calm  before  the  Storm 

that  it  was  not  the  lady  actually  rescued,  but  a  friend 
of  hers,  whom  the  thievish  dogs  aforesaid  meant  to 
carry  off.  Abdullah  then  saw  a  path  out  of  the  thorny 
labyrinth  which  beset  him.  It  was  evident  that  in 
serving  Miss  Fenshawe  he  had  displayed  his  fidelity 
to  Mrs.  Haxton!  The  notion  was  so  gratifying  that 
he  made  a  suggestion  which  assuredly  would  not  other- 
wise have  occurred  to  him.  When  they  reached  the 
camp-fire  where  they  were  supplied  with  such  valuable 
information  on  their  outward  journey,  he  would  obtain 
some  goat's  milk  for  Madame,  he  said,  and  that  would 
not  only  restore  her  strength  but  go  far  towards  alle- 
viating the  soreness  caused  by  the  gag. 

He  kept  his  promise.  The  milk  was  brought  in  a 
dubious  vessel,  but  the  girl  vowed  she  never  tasted  a 
more  delicious  beverage.  They  resumed  their  march, 
Irene's  head  dropped  cozily  to  the  region  of  Dick's 
heart,  and  that  wayward  organ  thumped  again  in  the 
most  alarming  way. 

Once  the  causeway  was  crossed,  Abdullah  called  a 
halt. 

"This  road  leads  into  the  main  street,  monsieur," 
said  he  to  Royson.  "It  is  quite  near.  If  the  lady  is 
able  to  walk  to  the  hotel,  it  will  attract  less  attention 
than  riding.  Meanwhile,  I  can  take  the  horses  to 
their  stables,  and  hasten  in  advance  to  tell  your  friends 
that  you  are  safe." 

They  agreed  instantly.  Royson  did  not  forget  to 
pat  the  plucky  little  Arab  that  had  carried  him  to  the 
Gates  of  Eden,  and  Irene  said  that  if  it  were  feasible 

177 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

she  would  buy  Moti  and  have  him  sent  to  England. 
And  thus  they  parted  from  Abdullah,  thinking  to  meet 
him  again  five  minutes  later. 

But  their  next  encounter  with  the  Spear-thrower  was 
destined  to  take  place  under  strange  conditions.  His 
present  intent  was  to  slip  away  and  seek  an  interview 
with  Mrs.  Haxton,  as  he  had  managed  to  worm  out 
the  information  that  she  was  on  board  the  yacht.  The 
last  thing  he  desired  was  to  be  dragged  into  prominence. 
Though  he  had  not  been  taught  that  a  man  might  "  do 
good  by  stealth  and  blush  to  find  it  fame,"  he  was 
specially  anxious  that  his  action  of  that  night  should 
not  be  trumpeted  forth  in  every  ear. 

Long  before  they  gained  the  main  thoroughfare, 
both  Royson  and  Irene  were  conscious  of  many  prying 
eyes.  Not  a  few  passers-by  yielded  frankly  to  curi- 
osity and  followed  them.  The  girl,  of  course,  wras 
hatless.  Her  dress  of  fine  muslin  was  of  a  style  and 
texture  seldom  seen  in  Massowah,  and  if  the  rare 
beauty  of  her  face  could  excite  comment  in  Hyde  Park 
it  would  surely  not  pass  unnoticed  in  a  small  and  semi- 
barbarous  Red  Sea  port. 

Royson,  too,  though  his  white  drill  uniform  was 
familiar  enough  to  the  public,  was  out  of  keeping  with 
his  surroundings.  He  towered  among  the  puny 
Italians;  not  a  stalwart  negro  nor  gaunt  Arab  in  the 
throng  could  equal  him  in  stature  arid  physique. 

So  they  both  agreed  in  thinking  that  they  were 
much  more  at  ease  when  Moti  was  carrying  them 
along  the  dark  road  of  the  mainland  than  now  while 

178 


The  Calm  before  the  Storm 

hurrying  through  the  packed  and  dimly-lighted  streets. 
But  the  sensation  they  created  in  the  bazaar  was  as 
naught  compared  with  the  overwhelming  effect  of  their 
arrival  in  the  Grand  Hotel  of  the  Universe.  Two 
officers  of  gendarmerie  and  a  round  dozen  of  soldier- 
policemen  became  incoherent  at  sight  of  them.  The 
hotel  manager  nearly  wept  with  joy.  He  tumbled 
up-stairs,  tripping  not  once  but  several  times,  in  his 
eagerness  to  make  known  to  the  English  milord  that 
the  Signorina  Fenshawe  had  returned.  The  vestibule 
filled  in  the  most  amazing  way  with  a  crowd  that  seemed 
to  speak  all  languages  under  the  sun.  Mr.  Fenshawe 
rushed  to  the  head  of  the  stairs  as  soon  as  he  grasped 
the  meaning  of  the  manager's  dramatic  announcement, 
and  a  combined  "  Ah ! "  of  gratification  gushed  from  a 
hundred  throats  when  Irene  flung  herself  into  his 
arms.  Clearly,  this  affair  had  stirred  Massowah  to 
its  depths.  It  would  supply  food  for  gossip  during 
many  a  day.  That  long  drawn-out  "Ah!"  was,  in 
some  sense,  a  testimony  to  Abdullah's  wisdom. 

While  Irene  was  sobbing  her  joy  on  her  grand- 
father's breast,  Stump  crushed  a  broad  track  through 
the  ever-increasing  mob  until  he  reached  Royson. 

"  I  was  bettin'  on  you  from  the  minnit  I  missed  you," 
he  roared  genially.  "You're  a  fair  wonder,  an*  no 
mistake.  By  Gad,  how  did  you  manage  it?  The 
Governor  has  raised  the  whole  crimson  town,  I  will  say 
that  for  him.  I  don't  know  his  lingo,  but  I  rather 
fancy  he  swore  to  have  a  scalp  for  every  hair  on  Miss 
Irene's  head  if  she  didn't  turn  up  afore  daylight. 

179 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Where  was  she?     Who  took  her  off?     The  police  are 
huntin'  for  your  friend  Alfie  this  hour  an'  more." 

Stump  's  concluding  item  was  at  once  gratifying  and 
puzzling. 

"  How  did  they  come  to  suspect  him  ?  "  asked  Dick, 
ignoring  the  rest  of  his  commander's  outburst. 

"  Mrs.  Haxton  put  'em  on  his  track.  You  see,  it  was 
this  way.  I  sent  the  jolly-boat's  crew  back  to  the 
yacht  with  orders  that  Tagg  was  to  arm  every  mother's 
son  on  board,  an'  be  ready  for  action  when  Mr. 
Fenshawe  gev  the  word.  The  old  man  wasn't  half 
mad,  I  can  tell  you.  I  take  my  solemn  davy  he'd 
have  stormed  that  bloomin'  fort  to-morrow  mornin'. 
Mrs.  Haxton  heard  about  the  trouble,  an'  wrote  a  note 
sayin'  as  how  that  Dago  we  saw  to-day  was  at  the 
bottom  of  the  whole  dam  business.  She  tole  Mr. 
Fenshawe  to  demand  von  Kerber's  release.  He  was 
the  on'y  man  who  could  handle  Alfie,  she  said,  an', 
wot  between  our  commodore's  threat  to  land  an  armed 
force,  an'  the  red-hot  cables  he's  bin  sendin'  to  London 
an'  Rome,  sink  me  if  the  Governor  isn't  scared  to 
death." 

"  Is  the  Baron  at  liberty,  then  ?  " 

"Not  yet.  There's  no  knowin'  wot  might  have 
happened  if  you'd  kep  away  another  hour  or  two. 
The  ole  man  has  raised  Cain,  I  can  tell  you.  But, 
look  here,  I'm  doin'  all  the  talkin',  an'  it  ain't  fair." 

"Did  no  one  tell  you  a  few  minutes  ago  that  Miss 
Fenshawe  had  escaped  and  was  hurrying  here  with 
me?" 

180 


The  Calm  before  the  Storm 

"Ax  me  another,"  growled  Stump.  Then  he  eyed 
Royson  critically.  "I  know  wot's  wrong  with  you,'* 
he  went  on.  "  You're  light-headed  for  want  of  a  drink. 
Come  out  of  it.  Damme,  you  need  lubricatin' ! " 

They  went  to  the  upper  floor,  and  Mr.  Fenshawe 
hurried  to  grasp  Dick's  hand. 

"I  will  not  endeavor  to  thank  you  now,"  he  said 
brokenly.  "  My  gratitude  is  too  deep  for  words,  but 
—  believe  me,  Mr.  Royson  —  if  I  had  lost  my  little 
girl  —  it  would  have  killed  me." 

The  hotel  manager  came  to  Dick's  relief.  With  a 
face  all  wrinkled  in  a  satisfied  grin,  he  informed  them 
that  "dinner  was  now  served."  The  poor  man  had 
been  waiting  two  hours  to  make  that  announcement, 
and  Irene's  gleeful  appreciation  of  this  low  comedy 
close  to  the  night's  adventures  showed  that  she  was 
little  the  worse  either  in  health  or  spirits.  She  would 
not  hear  of  a  doctor's  being  summoned.  She  assured 
her  grandfather  that  soreness  of  lips  and  wrists  would 
not  impair  her  appetite,  but  she  hoped  that  the  dinner 
would  not  be  utterly  spoiled  if  it  were  delayed  two 
minutes  longer  —  she  had  actually  forgotten  to  bring 
forward  the  Arab  who  had  helped  Mr.  Royson  to  res- 
cue her! 

Yet,  search  as  they  might,  El  Jaridiah  was  not  to 
be  found.  None  knew  him,  nor  had  any  news  of  the 
girl's  safety  been  received  until  she  was  seen  in  the 
vestibule.  Though  mystified,  they  were  far  too  ex- 
cited to  pay  special  heed  to  the  circumstance  at  the 
time.  Both  Irene  and  Royson  believed  that  the  man 

181 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

was  detained  by  some  slight  difficulty  with  regard  to 
the  horses,  one  of  which,  they  knew,  was  borrowed. 
They  said  that  surely  he  would  come  to  the  hotel  ere 
dinner  was  ended.  But  he  came  not.  The  only 
interruption  to  a  lively  meal  was  supplied  by  the 
Governor,  who  showed  very  proper  official  horror 
when  he  heard  the  story  of  Irene's  abduction,  and  saw 
the  evidences  of  the  rough  usage  to  which  she  had 
been  subjected. 

He  was  so  urbane  and  apologetic,  and  promised 
such  impartial  punishment  both  for  the  persons  who 
inspired  the  outrage  and  for  those  who  actually  carried 
it  out,  that  Mr.  Fenshawe  deferred  to  the  morrow  the 
stern  protest  he  meant  to  register  against  von  Kerber's 
detention.  It  was  quite  true,  as  Stump  told  Royson, 
that  strongly-worded  cablegrams  were  despatched  to 
London  and  Rome  earlier  in  the  evening.  Diplomatic 
representations  would  certainly  be  made  in  both 
capitals,  and  the  yacht-owner  felt  that  the  local  authori- 
ties would  now  leave  matters  entirely  to  the  Italian 
Colonial  Minister. 

So  a  truce  was  proclaimed  Before  he  left  them,  the 
Governor  drank  to  Miss  Fenshawe 's  health  in  the  best 
champagne  that  the  Grand  Hotel  of  the  Universe  could 
produce. 

The  four  people  rose  from  their  belated  meal  at  half 
past  ten.  A  sailor  came  from  the  Aphrodite  in  re- 
sponse to  a  message  sent  by  Stump  announcing  Miss 
Fenshawe's  return.  The  jolly-boat  was  waiting  to 
take  them  on  board,  he  said,  and  they  walked  to  the 

182 


The  Calm  before  the  Storm 

jetee,   escorted   by  the  whole   body  of  gens  d'armes 
who  had  mounted  guard  at  the  hotel. 

The  long  pull  across  the  starlit  waters  of  the  harbor 
was  peculiarly  refreshing  and  restful  after  the  thrilling 
events  of  the  day.  Irene  said  with  a  laugh  that  it  was 
almost  worth  while  being  kidnapped  for  the  sake  of 
becoming  a  heroine,  and  Mr.  Fenshawe  yielded  to  the 
soothing  influence  of  the  hour  in  expressing  the  opinion 
that  he  expected  to  hear  of  the  Baron's  unconditional 
release  early  next  day. 

"By  the  way,"  said  the  girl,  speaking  to  the  boat- 
swain, "how  was  Mrs.  Haxton  when  you  left  the 
yacht?" 

"  She  was  all  right,  miss,  when  I  saw  her  about  nine 
o'clock.  She  was  just  goin'  ashore  — 

"Going  ashore!"  For  the  life  of  her,  Irene  could 
not  help  the  blank  wonderment  of  that  repetition. 

"Yes,  miss.     An  Arab  kem  for  her." 

"  Are  you  sure  ?  " 

"Sartin,  miss.  It  was  about  two  bells  when  that 
craft  hailed  us  —  wasn't  it,  Bill  ?  " 

The  sailor  thus  unexpectedly  appealed  to  was  taken 
by  surprise.  He  nearly  swallowed  a  quid  of  tobacco 
before  he  answered: 

"  That's  correct.  It  struck  two  bells  just  arter  they 
shoved  off." 

"Do  you  know  where  Mrs.  Haxton  meant  to  go? 
I  mean,  was  she  making  for  the  hotel  ?  " 
,     "  I  didn't  happen  to  hear,  miss.     But  Mr.  Tagg  was 
talkin'  to  the  lady.     P'raps  he  can  tell  you." 

183 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

From  the  silence  prevailing  among  her  companions 
Irene  was  aware  that  they  were  as  much  astounded  by 
the  man's  statement  as  she  herself.  It  was  impossible 
to  discuss  the  matter  further  in  front  of  the  boat's  crew, 
but  the  girl  whispered  to  Royson,  who  was  sitting 
near  her: 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  anything  more  amazing  ?  She 
could  not  have  missed  us.  What  can  be  her  object  in 
going  off  alone  ?  " 

"We  may  be  able  to  answer  those  questions,  and 
others,  when  we  find  out  who  it  was  that  came  for  her." 

"  Some  Arab,  the  man  says.  How  strange  that  Mrs. 
Haxton  should  be  acquainted  with  an  Arab  in  Masso- 
wah!" 

Mr.  Fenshawe  bent  towards  them. 

"Do  not  forget,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  "that  Mrs. 
Haxton  may  not  have  heard  earlier  of  von  Kerber's 
arrest.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  he  has  managed 
to  communicate  with  her  in  some  manner.  A  curious 
letter  I  received  to-day  may  throw  light  on  the  problem. 
I  was  reading  it  when  that  hotel  man  burst  in  on  me 
with  the  news  of  your  escapade,  Irene.  To  tell  the 
truth,  I  have  not  given  much  thought  to  it  since." 

Royson  was  convinced  that  Mrs.  Haxton,  finding 
the  game  was  up,  had  flown.  But  Tagg's  version  of 
the  lady's  sudden  departure  did  not  lend  color  to  this 
view.  He  stated  that  a  shore  boat  came  alongside  a 
few  minutes  before  nine  o'clock,  and  an  Arab,  who 
was  its  sole  passenger,  stood  up  and  said  clearly: 

"Me   Abdullah.     See    Madame    Haxton." 
184 


The  Calm  before  the  Storm 

That,  seemingly,  was  the  full  extent  of  the  man's 
English.  He  repeated  the  sentence  until  Tagg  sent 
Miss  Fenshawe's  maid  to  tell  Mrs.  Haxton  that  an 
Arab  named  Abdullah  was  asking  for  her. 

"She  kem  at  once,"  said  Tagg,  "an'  they  began  to 
parleyvoo  as  quick  as  you  like  — 

"  They  spoke  French  ?  "  broke  in  Irene,  with  a  side- 
long glance  at  Dick.  The  far-fetched  notion  which 
gripped  him  instantly  had  also  occurred  to  the  girl. 

"Yes,  miss.  You  can  allus  tell  French  by  the 
mongin'  an'  bongin'  an'  tongin'  that  goes  on." 

At  another  time  Irene  would  have  hailed  Tagg's 
subtle  humor  with  glee,  but  there  was  an  element  of 
deadly  earnest  in  the  history  of  the  past  few  hours 
that  kept  her  strictly  to  the  issue. 

"  This  Arab  — "  she  said,  "  was  he  a  tall,  good-look- 
ing man  with  a  striped  hood  to  his  burnous,  his  outer 
cloak,  you  know?" 

"That's  him,"  agreed  Tagg.  "More  like  a  fellow 
you'd  see  at  Tangier  than  in  these  parts.  You  know 
the  sort  of  chap  I  mean,  cap'n?" 

"I  do,"  said  Stump.  "Reg'lar  stage  Arabs,  they 
are.  Sort  of  Frenchified,  with  clipped  whiskers." 

"But  please  tell  me  what  happened,"  cried  Irene 
breathlessly. 

"Well,  miss,  there  ain't  much  to  tell.  They  had  a 
serious  confab  for  five  minutes,  an'  then  she  tells  me 
she's  goin'  ashore.  '  Wot  time  will  ye  be  back,  m'am, 
an'  I'll  send  a  boat,'  sez  I.  'I  dunno,'  sez  she,  'I  may 
be  late,  so  I  shall  return  in  a  native  boat.'  She  axed 

185 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

your  maid,  miss,  to  bring  a  wrap  from  her  cabin,  an' 
she  was  gone  without  another  word." 

"Then  that  settles  it,"  interposed  Mr.  Fenshawe 
dryly.  "Mrs.  Haxton  is  a  lady  who  knows  her  own 
mind.  She  is  fully  qualified  to  take  care  of  herself. 
Off  you  go  to  bed,  Irene.  Sufficient  for  the  day  is 
the  excitement  thereof.  And,  according  to  present 
indications,  we  shall  be  kept  busy  to-morrow.  Good- 
night, Mr.  Royson.  I  shall  be  better  able  to  thank 
you  in  the  morning." 

Irene,  too,  held  out  a  hand  to  Dick. 

"I'm  making  up  all  sorts  of  nice  compliments  to 
offer  you,"  she  said  pleasantly.  "You  need  not 
protest.  I  was  gagged  for  the  best  part  of  an  hour 
when  I  very  specially  wanted  to  talk,  so  I  have  a  whole 
lot  of  things  to  say  after  breakfast." 

Dick  read  the  meaning  of  the  glance  she  flashed  at 
him.  Oddly  enough,  it  expressed  his  own  thought. 
They  must  endeavor  to  find  out  how  Mrs.  Haxton 
came  to  be  such  a  close  acquaintance  of  El  Jaridiah's. 
Not  only  had  he  risked  his  life  when  he  fancied  she 
was  in  danger,  but  she,  on  her  part,  was  willing  to  re- 
turn with  him  to  Massowah  under  cover  of  the  night 
—  to  Massowah,  whence  she  had  fled  in  terror  not 
many  hours  earlier. 


186 


CHAPTER  XI 

A   WOMAN   INTERVENES 

WHEN  Mrs.  Haxton  descended  the  yacht's  gang- 
way, and  seated  herself  in  the  boat  which  had  brought 
Abdullah  from  the  shore,  she  threw  a  main  with  fate. 
But  she  was  acting  with  her  eyes  open,  whereas  poor 
mortality  is  oft  called  on  to  take  that  dangerous  hazard 
blindfold.  During  several  haggard  hours  she  had 
weighed  her  prospects  in  the  scale  of  judgment,  and 
the  balance  was  wofully  unfavorable.  Wealth  she 
had  none;  and  now  she  saw  position  slipping  away 
also.  As  sure  as  the  sun  would  rise  next  day,  so  sure 
was  it,  as  matters  stood  then,  that  exposure  and  hu- 
miliation must  arrive.  To  this  hard,  level-headed, 
shrewd  woman  there  was  no  blinking  the  outcome  of 
an  official  inquiry.  Alfieri  was  in  Massowah,  Alfieri, 
the  man  she  had  wronged  as  Delilah  wronged  Samson. 
If  he  were  arrested,  owing  to  Irene's  abduction,  he 
would  demand  to  be  confronted  with  von  Kerber, 
would  ask  that  she,  too,  should  be  arraigned  with  the 
Austrian,  and  put  forward  such  an  indisputable  plea 
that,  whatever  the  outcome  for  the  Italian,  her  English 
friends  must  recoil  from  her  with  indignation.  And 
there  was  worse  in  store.  Mr.  Fenshawe's  generosity 

187 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

might  provide  the  means  of  returning  to  Europe,  but 
she  would  go  back  discredited,  a  mere  adventuress, 
while  the  publicity  attached  to  the  yacht's  errand 
could  hardly  fail  to  bring  her  name  into  fatal  notoriety. 
In  a  word,  social  ruin  stared  her  in  the  face,  and  the 
prospect  was  so  unpleasing  that  her  despairing  glance 
turned  more  than  once  towards  a  dressing-case  con- 
taining drugs  whose  labels  spelt  oblivion. 

Then  came  the  Arab,  with  news  of  Irene's  return, 
and,  like  any  desperate  gamester  who  ventures  the 
last  shreds  of  a  wasted  capital  on  some  almost  im- 
possible chance,  she  determined  to  fight  Alfieri  to  the 
end. 

It  was  not  a  thing  to  be  done  in  cold  blood.  Unarmed 
men  have  saved  their  lives  by  boldly  attacking  lions, 
but  that  is  no  argument  in  favor  of  an  unarmed  man 
going  out  of  his  way  to  search  for  the  king  of  beasts. 
And  the  measure  of  Alfieri 's  hate  was  supplied  by  his 
daring  attempt  to  capture  her.  She  shuddered  to 
think  of  the  result  had  he  been  successful,  yet  she 
nerved  herself  now  to  out-maneuver  him.  Of  course, 
there  were  some  slight  elements  in  her  favor.  The 
blunder  which  had  placed  her  enemy  at  loggerheads 
with  the  authorities  gave  her  a  momentary  advantage. 
The  man's  lust  for  vengeance  might,  indeed,  sweep 
aside  her  attack,  but  she  must  risk  that.  Had  fate 
been  kinder,  Mrs.  Haxton  was  cast  in  the  mold  that 
produces  notable  women.  She  knew  when  to  unite 
boldness  with  calculation;  she  would  always  elect  to 
die  fighting  rather  than  cower  without  a  blow;  and  she 

188 


A  Woman  Intervenes 

would  never  believe  a  cause  lost  while  there  was  a  man 
to  be  wheedled. 

The  Somali  crew  ferried  her  swiftly  towards  the 
landing-stage,  and  she  bade  Abdullah  render  a  full 
account  of  the  rescue. 

"You  speak  of  a  boat,"  she  commented,  with  a 
puzzled  air.  "Did  you  see  the  occupants?" 

"  No,  madame.  We  heard  some  shouting  by  Italians. 
That  is  all." 

"  A  boat ! "  she  said,  deep  in  thought.  "  That  seems 
to  suggest  that  I  was  to  be  brought  back  to  the  town. 
The  hired  carriage  and  the  long  drive  into  the  country 
were  intended  to  throw  dust  in  the  eyes  of  those  who 
might  endeavor  to  find  me." 

"Or  to  a  ship,"  suggested  Abdullah.  "Had  they  a 
dhow  in  readiness  ?  Perhaps,  by  this  time,  they  may 
have  slipped  away  to  sea  under  cover  of  the  darkness." 

Mrs.  Haxton  laughed,  but  her  mirth  had  not  its 
wonted  musical  cadence. 

"No,"  she  said,  "that  is  not  likely.  Grand  Dieu, 
if  only  it  were!  Now,  listen,  and  do  exactly  as  I  bid 
you.  Somewhere  in  Massowah,  probably  in  one  of 
the  small  restaurants,  you  will  find  a  man  named 
Giuseppe  Alfieri.  You  must  inquire  at  every  cafe 
and  boarding  house  in  the  main  street  —  there  are  not 
many.  You  cannot  mistake  him.  You  met  him  once 
at  Assouan,  and  you  may  recall  his  appearance  —  he 
is  tall  and  thin,  with  a  lean,  sallow  face,  clean  shaven. 
He  has  long,  black  hair  and  his  eyes  are  large  and 
deeply  set.  When  you  find  him,  you  will  say  that  I 

189 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

wish  to  see  him.  He  will  be  surprised,  and  talk  big, 
but  he  will  surely  question  you.  Make  no  secret  of 
the  fact  that  you  are  in  my  confidence.  Tell  him  I 
offer  a  truce,  that  I  am  in  a  position  to  make  terms. 
He  may  bluster,  and  boast,  perhaps,  that  I  am  on  my 
knees.  Well,  admit  it,  and  remind  him  that  where  I 
fail,  he,  at  least,  has  no  chance  of  success.  Do  you 
understand?  It  is  a  question  as  between  money  and 
revenge.  Alfieri  is  something  of  a  fool.  If  the  bait 
be  tempting  enough  he  will  swallow  it,  and  not  for  the 
first  time." 

Abdullah  nodded  with  complete  comprehension  of 
her  under-thought.  The  Italian  had  been  tricked 
once.  It  might  be  possible  to  trick  him  again. 

"  If  he  agrees,  Madame,  when  is  he  to  meet  you  ?  " 

"To-morrow  morning,  at  eleven  o'clock,  at  the 
hotel." 

"But  this  other  affair  has  set  the  bazaar  in  an  up- 
roar. One  cannot  carry  off  young  English  ladies  so 
easily.  Monsieur  Alfieri  may  be  a  prisoner." 

"No  such  luck,"  said  Mrs.  Haxton  bitterly.  "You 
are  not  acquainted  with  the  twists  and  turns  of  events, 
Abdullah.  That  which  was  simple  at  Assouan  has 
become  complex  here.  Alfieri  has  inflamed  the  mind 
of  some  high  official  at  Rome,  or  he  never  could  have 
persuaded  the  Governor  to  go  to  such  lengths  as  to 
arrest  Fenshawe  Effendi,  riot  to  speak  of  Monsieur  le 
Baron.  No,  this  pig  of  a  Governor  has  a  Minister 
behind  him.  He  may  threaten,  but  Alfieri  is  safe." 

"Nevertheless,  he  may  be  hidden." 
190 


A  Woman  Intervenes 

"That  will  suit  me  equally  well.  Zut!  Abdullah, 
you  are  not  so  quick  as  usual  to-night." 

"Pardon,  Madame,  you  have  told  me  what  I  ana  to 
do,  but  you  have  said  no  words  as  to  yourself,  yet 
behold,  we  shall  be  on  shore  in  a  few  minutes." 

"I?  I  am  going  to  the  fort.  I  have  one  card 
to  play  with  his  Excellency.  Pray  to  your  Prophet, 
Abdullah,  that  it  may  succeed." 

The  Arab  bowed  silently.  It  might  be  that  he 
stood  to  win,  no  matter  who  lost,  in  this  war  of  intrigue. 

"  Do  I  see  you  again  to-night,  Madame  ?  "  he  asked, 
as  the  boat  drew  alongside  the  jetty. 

"  I  think  not.  Come  with  me  until  I  obtain  an 
alabeeyah.  Then,  to  your  search,  and  report  to  me 
early  to-morrow." 

They  soon  found  an  alabeeyah,  one  of  the  small 
open  carriages  made  popular  in  Egypt  by  the  French, 
and  Mrs.  Haxton  was  driven  towards  the  fort.  The 
Arab  began  his  quest  for  Giuseppe  Alfieri,  but  found 
him  not,  for  the  most  convincing  reason  that  Alfieri 
was  then  seated  in  the  Governor's  library,  smoking  the 
Governor's  cigarettes,  and  drinking  the  Governor's 
best  Capri. 

His  Excellency  had  just  returned  from  the  hotel. 
He,  too,  had  deferred  to  the  morning  a  tactful  explana- 
tion that  pressure  of  business  had  prevented  the 
despatch  of  Mr.  Fenshawe's  cablegrams  that  night. 
But  tact  was  not  his  most  obvious  gift.  Though  he 
hoped  to  mollify  the  irate  yacht-owner  with  soft  words, 
he  did  not  spare  Alfieri  now. 

191 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"The  madness  of  it!"  he  cried.  "You  say  it  was  a 
mistake.  That  is  the  plea  of  a  stupid  child.  The 
affair  would  have  been  just  as  awkward  if  you  had 
carried  off  the  Signora  Haxton.  She  is  a  British  sub- 
ject. In  two  days  the  newspapers  of  Europe  would 
magnify  the  incident  into  an  international  dispute, 
and,  with  Abyssinia  always  ready  to  fan  the  flame  — " 

"Believe  me,  Excellency,  the  Signora  herself  would 
have  written  that  she  had  gone  away  of  her  own  free 
will,"  broke  in  the  other. 

"I  doubt  it  very  much.  Her  friends  could  not  fail 
to  think  that  she  was  writing  under  compulsion.  I 
tell  you,  idiot  that  you  are,  you  have  prejudiced  your 
own  case,  made  difficulties  where  they  did  not  exist. 
If  your  sworn  statements  are  true  —  " 

"They  are  true,  true  as  death,"  vociferated  Alfieri. 

"Ebbene!  Why,  then,  strengthen  your  enemies  by 
giving  them  just  cause  for  complaint?" 

"  If  only  you  knew  what  I  have  suffered  through  that 
woman,  Excellency!"  came  the  angry  cry. 

"  Oh,  blame  the  woman,  of  course,"  said  the  Gov- 
ernor, with  the  fine  scorn  of  a  man  who  has  married  a 
meek  wife.  "I  lose  patience  with  these  transports. 
If  a  woman  preferred  another  to  me  I  would  dance  at 
her  wedding." 

"You  would  not  dance  if  she  had  used  all  the  arts 
of  treachery  to  rob  you  of  your  fortune." 

"I  flatter  myself  I  would  resist  the  tricks  of  any 
siren  who  was  merely  anxious  to  delude  me.  But  this 
is  beside  the  question.  These  English  suspect  you  of 

192 


A  Woman  Intervenes 

planning  the  outrage.  Frankly,  I  cannot  see  my  way 
to  meet  the  inquiry  which  must  be  made,  sooner  or 
later.  Perhaps  the  old  man,  Fenshawe,  may  consent 
to  tone  down  his  messages  to-morrow.  If  he  refuses, 
and  sails  to  Aden,  the  very  cables  will  fuse  under  the 
storm  of  remonstrance  from  Rome.  I  may  be  recalled. 
That  pig,  Festiano,  will  be  appointed  in  my  place. 
The  more  I  consider  your  imbecility  the  less  am  I 
inclined  to  put  faith  in  anything  you  have  said.  How 
do  I  know  that  your  Greek  was  not  an  addle-headed 
ass  like  yourself?  Corpo  di  Dio!  His  treasure  of 
Saba  may  be  a  piece  of  moon-madness  akin  to  this 
tragi-comic  plot  of  yours." 

"  I  would  have  bent  her  to  my  will.  I  could  make 
her  go  to  this  Austrian  dog  and  tell  him  begone.  I 
could  force  her  to  confess  to  the  Englishman  that  she 
had  deceived  him." 

"  Saetta!  I  am  out  of  temper  with  you,"  growled 
the  Governor,  lighting  a  cigarette  and  smoking  furi- 
ously. 

He  was  fond  of  plain  speaking,  this  temporary  ruler 
of  Erythrea.  The  sudden  death  of  a  Governor  ap- 
pointed from  Rome  had  given  him  his  chance.  He 
might  be  superseded  at  any  moment  by  some  carpet- 
bagger with  political  influence,  and  it  went  against 
the  grain  that  the  private  feuds  of  people  whose  quarrels 
did  not  interest  him  in  the  least  should  be  able  to 
wreck  his  career.  Alfieri  came  to  him  with  good 
credentials.  If  the  man's  story  was  borne  out  by 
facts,  not  only  would  Italy  receive  a  handsome  sum 

193 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

from  a  colony  which  had  hitherto  been  a  drain  on  her 
resources,  but  he,  Marchetti,  would  reap  some  share 
of  the  credit,  not  to  mention  the  bonus  promised  for 
his  assistance.  His  instructions  from  headquarters 
were  clear.  He  had  acted  within  his  rights  in  arrest- 
ing von  Kerber  and  detaining  Mr,  Fenshawe  until  the 
latter  gave  up  an  undertaking  to  land  on  Italian  terri- 
tory without  permission.  That  he  had  decided  to 
release  the  Englishman  unconditionally  was  a  further 
tribute  to  his  good  judgment.  Having  caged  the  hawk 
there  was  no  harm  in  freeing  the  pigeon.  But  Alfieri's 
passionate  and  ill-advised  attempt  to  abduct  Mrs. 
Haxton  had  changed  the  whole  aspect  of  affairs.  No 
wonder  the  stout  and  pompous  little  man  fumed  and 
fretted  in  vain  endeavor  to  climb  out  of  this  unex- 
pected pit. 

Alfieri  looked  at  his  restless  companion  in  moody 
silence.  In  aspect,  he  was  the  exact  opposite  to  the 
podgy  Governor.  Slender,  and  loosely  built,  he  had  the 
large,  sunken  eyes  of  a  dreamer,  the  narrow  forehead 
of  the  self-opinionated,  the  delicate  nostrils  and  mobile 
mouth  of  the  neurotic  temperament.  It  was  easy  to 
see  that  such  a  man  would  brood  over  an  injury,  real 
or  imagined,  till  he  had  lashed  himself  into  a  tempest 
of  wrath.  His  emotions  could  know  no  mean.  From 
sullen  despair  he  could  rebound  to  the  most  extrava- 
gant optimism.  That  very  day  he  had  rushed  away 
from  the  painstaking  details  of  a  semi-scientific  ex- 
pedition in  order  to  gratify  a  Sicilian  impulse  which 
called  for  the  ruthless  settlement  of  an  old  score. 

194 


A  Woman  Intervenes 

Even  now,  the  sense  of  failure  rankled  deeper  than 
the  contemptuous  anger  of  his  fellow-countryman; 
but  the  practical-minded  Governor  had  no  intent  to 
leave  matters  where  they  stood. 

"It  seems  to  me,"  he  said,  turning  suddenly  on 
Alfieri,  after  gazing  out  across  the  harbor  and  watching 
the  twinkling  lights  on  the  Aphrodite,  "  it  seems  to  me 
that  the  best  thing  we  can  do  now  is  to  arrange  a 
compromise.  It  is  not  too  late.  We  must  board  the 
Englishman's  yacht  early  in  the  morning  — " 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  knock  at  the  door.  A 
servant  entered.  There  was  a  lady  to  see  his  Excel- 
lency. By  Bacchus,  a  lady,  at  that  hour,  nearly  ten 
o'clock!  Who  was  she,  and  what  did  she  want?  He 
could  not  be  bothered  — 

Then  he  read  the  name  on  the  card  brought  by  the 
man,  and  whistled  softly,  lest  perchance  this  latest 
phase  of  an  electrical  situation  should  demand  words 
not  in  the  repertory  of  excellencies. 

"Wait  outside  for  one  moment,"  he  said.  Alfieri, 
alive  to  Signer  Marchetti's  suppressed  excitement, 
wondered  who  the  visitor  could  be.  The  governor 
examined  the  card  again.  He  gave  his  companion  a 
rather  dreary  smile. 

"You  are  but  a  tinfoil  conspirator,  after  all,  my 
friend,"  said  he.  "Here  is  a  woman  who  despises 
you." 

Alfieri  sprang  to  his  feet  with  an  oath. 

"She  has  not  dared!"  he  cried. 

"Calm  yourself,  I  pray  you.  The  Signora  Haxton 
195 


The  Wheel  o>  Fortune 

has  come  to  pay  a  visit  —  that  is  all.  The  hour  is  late, 
but,  from  what  you  have  told  me,  she  is  not  likely  to 
be  troubled  by  a  consideration  of  that  kind.  Now, 
Signer  Alfieri,  I  am  going  to  receive  her.  Do  not  for- 
get that  I  am  the  chief  magistrate  of  Massowah.  It  is 
probable  that,  through  her  instrumentality,  I  may  be 
able  to  extricate  both  myself  and  you  from  the  pre- 
dicament into  which  your  folly  has  plunged  us.  And 
I  warn  you  that  any  display  of  temper  will  be  fatal. 
Let  us  go  slowly  and  we  may  go  far." 

Alfieri,  all  a-quiver  with  uncontrollable  emotion, 
fixed  his  glowing  eyes  on  the  door  when  the  servant 
returned  with  Mrs.  Haxton.  She  entered,  with  the 
graceful  ease  of  one  accustomed  to  meet  greater  dig- 
nitaries than  the  head  of  a  small  Italian  colony.  Signer 
Marchetti  advanced  a  few  paces.  Where  a  lady  was 
concerned  he  could  be  courteous  enough,  his  abrupt- 
ness being  a  specially  cultivated  mannerism  intended 
to  impress  natives  with  a  sense  of  his  importance. 
But,  beneath  the  skin  of  office,  he  was  Italian  to  the 
core,  and  he  promised  himself  a  fine  scenic  effect  when 
the  Englishwoman's  glance  fell  on  the  other  occupant 
of  the  room. 

But  Mrs.  Haxton  had  nerved  herself  to  play  for 
a  high  stake.  Though  she  shrank  back  a  little  and 
caught  her  breath  when  she  saw  Alfieri,  there  was  a 
restraint  in  her  attitude  which  might  have  surprised  a 
more  astute  person  than  Governor  Marchetti.  Her 
eyes  contracted  somewhat,  her  lips  tightened,  a  hand 
clutched  at  the  folds  of  a  cloak  thrown  loosely  over  her 

106 


A  Woman  Intervenes 

shoulders.  Marchetti  paid  heed  to  these  things,  and 
interpreted  them  as  evidences  of  timidity.  A  man 
accustomed  to  wield  a  rapier  rather  than  a  cudgel 
would  not  have  made  that  initial  error.  Alfieri's 
presence  changed  the  whole  situation,  and  Mrs.  Haxton, 
in  whom  the  stage  had  lost  a  great  actress,  instantly 
bent  her  wits  to  deal  with  the  new  set  of  circumstances 
thus  created. 

"  You  speak  Italian,  signora  ?  Ah,  capital !  Pray 
be  seated,"  said  the  Governor  affably.  "As  you  have 
honored  me  with  a  call  at  this  unusual  hour  I  take  it 
that  your  business  is  urgent.  Do  you  wish  to  confer 
with  me  in  private  ?  If  so,  Signer  Alfieri,  who  is  not 
unknown  to  you,  I  believe,  will  leave  us  for  a  few 
minutes.  Otherwise,  you  can  talk  quite  frankly  in  his 
presence." 

That  was  the  Governor's  method  of  putting  his  two 
visitors  at  their  ease.  The  lady  would  assume  he  knew 
everything.  The  man  would  take  his  cue  from  a 
friendly  opening.  What  could  be  better? 

"I  am  glad  that  Signer  Alfieri  is  here,  your  Ex- 
cellency, though  I  must  admit  that  I  did  not  expect 
to  see  him,"  said  Mrs.  Haxton,  taking  the  proffered 
chair.  "My  business  concerns  him,  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent. By  all  means,  let  him  remain." 

Her  voice  was  under  control.  She  spoke  Italian 
fluently,  and  her  smooth,  clear  accents  seemed  to  stir 
strange  memories  in  Alfieri's  soul.  But,  thinking  to 
annoy  her,  he  forced  a  spiteful  grin  to  his  thin  lips. 

"Allowing  for  the  lapse  of  years,  Rita,"  he  said, 
197 


"and  bearing  in  mind  your  natural  distress  at  to-day's 
occurrences,  you  are  looking  remarkably  well." 

She  flashed  one  quick  glance  at  him,  then  smiled 
sweetly  at  Marchetti. 

"My  distress  ended  when  the  Signorina  Fenshawe 
was  brought  back  to  her  friends.  Of  course,  it  was  a 
dreadful  thing  that  she  should  be  carried  off  in  such  a 
way.  Were  it  not  for  the  skill  and  resource  displayed 
by  one  of  the  Aphrodite's  officers,  there  is  no  knowing 
what  the  consequences  might  have  been." 

"You  have  seen  the  signorina  at  the  hotel?"  put  in 
the  Governor. 

"No,  I  came  straight  from  the  yacht.  I  thought  it 
advisable." 

"But  the  affair  has  been  misrepresented.  It  is  a 
mere  bagatelle.  There  exists,  shall  we  say,  a  certain 
disagreement  between  you  and  Signer  Alfieri.  There 
was  an  unhappy  mistake,  which  I  would  have  rectified 
without  any  help  from  the  yacht.  You  see,  rumor  is 
apt  to  exaggerate." 

"  I  think  you  are  taking  a  very  reasonable  and  proper 
view,  your  Excellency.  It  will  be  best  for  all  parties 
if  we  try  to  regard  the  incident  in  that  light." 

Marchetti  was  vaguely  conscious  of  a  too  complete 
agreement  in  the  lady's  tone.  But  he  seized  the 
apparent  advantage. 

"Then  that  is  settled,"  he  said  cheerfully.  "I  have 
already  apologized  to  Signer  Fenshawe.  To-morrow 
a  more  ample  explanation  and  expression  of  regret 
should  remove  any  cause  of  friction." 

198 


A  Woman  Intervenes 

"I  have  reason  to  think  there  will  be  no  difficulty 
in  arriving  at  an  amicable  settlement,  provided  you 
fall  in  with  the  suggestion  I  am  here  to  make." 

"And  that  is?" 

"That  you  release  the  Baron  von  Kerber  to-night." 

"Ha!"  snarled  Alfieri,  but  the  Governor  angrily 
motioned  him  to  be  silent. 

"No  one  is  better  aware  than  yourself,  signora,  how 
utterly  impossible  is  your  request,"  he  said. 

"  The  proposal  is  not  even  worthy  of  debate,  then  ?  " 

"But  no." 

"That  is  a  pity.  My  small  experience  of  life  has 
taught  me  that  when  two  reasonable  people,  or  even 
three,  hold  different  views  on  any  given  subject,  there 
is  always  something  to  be  said  in  favor  of  each  con- 
tention. Indeed,  wisdom  leans  towards  a  compromise 
in  such  a  case." 

"You  presuppose  a  mere  divergence  of  opinion. 
Here  we  have  no  room  for  it.  Your  confederate, 
signora,  if  you  will  pardon  a  harsh  term,  is  believed  to 
have  stolen  valuable  documents  from  my  friend, 
Signer  Alfieri.  My  Government  has  instructed  me 
to  arrest  him,  and  to  use  every  means,  not  stopping 
short  of  armed  force,  to  prevent  the  Aphrodite  from 
undertaking  what  is  little  else  than  a  piratical  expe- 
dition. You  see,  therefore,  that  it  is  not  in  my  power, 
if  I  were  so  minded,  to  set  Baron  von  Kerber  at  liberty. 
Compromise  in  any  other  direction  would  appeal  to 
me.  Where  Baron  von  Kerber  is  concerned,  I  am 
helpless." 

199 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

His  Excellency  was  firmly  planted  on  the  guberna- 
torial dais  once  more.  Mrs.  Haxton  evidently  de- 
manded plain  speaking.  Being  a  blunt  man,  he  gave 
it  to  her.  But  she  smiled  again,  quite  pleasantly. 

"That  is  what  I  may  describe  as  the  correct  official 
attitude,"  she  said.  "If  it  were  founded  on  fact,  it 
would  be  unassailable.  But  Signer  Alfieri  can  tell  you 
that  the  Baron  most  certainly  did  not  steal  anything 
from  him.  If  a  culprit  must  be  found,  it  was  I,  not 
Franz  von  Kerber,  who  should  be  charged  with 
theft." 

"Ah,  Dio  mio,  you  hear?    She  admits!" 

Alfieri  almost  screeched  the  words.  He  was  in  a 
frenzy  of  passion.  This  woman  had  ever  the  power 
to  drive  him  beyond  bounds.  He  hated  her  now  with 
an  intensity  born  of  derided  love.  The  Governor 
would  have  stormed  at  him,  but  Mrs.  Haxton  accepted 
the  challenge  too  promptly. 

"I  admit  nothing,"  she  cried  with  a  sudden  shrill- 
ness. "If  admissions  are  necessary  I  shall  wait  until 
Abdullah  confronts  you.  Then,  when  I  have  told  my 
story,  he  shall  tell  his." 

"  Who  cares  for  Abdullah ! "  came  the  retort.  "  Not 
I.  It  is  well,  indeed,  to  appeal  to  the  testimony  of  an 
unknown  Arab." 

"You  shall  have  the  opportunity  of  refuting  him," 
said  Mrs.  Haxton.  "He  is  in  Massowah.  But  that 
is  a  question  for  such  tribunal  as  may  exist  in  this  law- 
less town.  Your  Excellency's  decision  is  final?"  she 
added,  turning  to  the  Governor. 

200 


A  Woman  Intervenes 

"Absolutely  irrevocable,  signora.  You  see  how  it 
stands  —  my  orders  are  explicit." 

"Their  explicitness  is  as  nothing  compared  to  the 
clearness  of  the  next  mandate  you  will  receive  from 
Rome,"  she  blazed  out.  "Was  it  according  to  your 
orders  that  an  English  lady  was  carried  off  by  brigands, 
simply  to  glut  the  vengeance  of  my  discarded  Beppo? 
You  spoke  of  confederates,  Signor  Marchetti.  What 
of  the  confederacy  that  permits  this  man  to  be  your 
guest  while  your  officers  are  making  mock  search  for 
him  in  the  bazaar?  Your  judges,  even  such  as  they 
are,  will  laugh  him  out  of  court  when  he  tries  to  sub- 
stantiate the  charge  he  has  brought  against  Baron  von 
Kerber.  Poor,  love-sick  fool !  —  to  gratify  his  spite 
he  attacks  his  rival  with  false  evidence  rather  than  let 
it  be  known  that  a  woman  twisted  him  round  her  little 
finger.  Look  at  him  now;  he  would  strike  me  dead, 
if  he  dared;  but  he  cannot  answer  me." 

Alfieri  leaped  to  his  feet.  His  voice  rose  to  a  cracked 
falsetto. 

"You  hear,  you  hear!"  was  his  cry.  "She  robbed 
me  of  the  papyrus,  yet  boasts  of  it.  She  is  a  thief, 
self-confessed." 

Mrs.  Haxton  also  sprang  up.  Her  physical  dread  of 
the  man  had  yielded  to  the  triumph  of  having  cornered 
him. 

"  Truly  I  hope  his  Excellency  hears,"  she  said.  "  If 
I  am  to  blame  for  the  loss  of  your  papers,  why  is  Baron 
von  Kerber  in  prison  on  your  testimony?" 

"You  are  both  in  league,"  he  almost  screamed.     "I 
201 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

was  blind,  infatuated,  at  Assouan.  It  was  the  Austrian 
who  planned  my  undoing,  and  you,  his  paramour, 
who  cajoled  me  out  of  my  senses." 

"I  refuse  to  stay  here  and  be  insulted  by  such  a 
coward,"  she  said,  gathering  her  skirts  as  though  she 
intended  to  take  her  departure  instantly.  "  But  it  will 
be  a  fine  story  that  Signer  Fenshawe  cables  from  Aden 
when  he  tells  how  the  Governor  of  Massowah  aided 
and  abetted  this  half-crazy  poltroon  in  onslaughts  on 
defenseless  women.  It  was  not  enough  that  Italian 
law  should  be  misused  to  further  his  ends,  but  the  scum 
of  the  bazaar  is  enlisted  under  his  banner,  and  he  is 
supported  by  the  authorities  in  an  act  that  would  be 
reprobated  by  any  half-savage  state  in  existence." 

"I  pray  you  calm  yourself,  signora,"  exclaimed 
Marchetti,  now  fully  alive  to  the  dangers  confronting 
him.  "You  must  see  that  I  have  only  acted  in  an 
official  capacity.  I,  at  least,  have  no  feeling  in  the 
matter.  I  received  certain  information  —  " 

"Which  was  entirely  misleading  and  one-sided," 
she  broke  in  imperiously. 

"  Which  certainly  did  not  refer  to  you  in  any  particu- 
lar," was  the  sharp  rejoinder,  while  he  glanced  at 
Alfieri.  "If  this  gentleman  is  now  prepared  to  say 
that  he  was  mistaken  — " 

"  Who  dares  to  hint  at  any  admission  on  my  part  ?  " 
shouted  Alfieri. 

The  stout  Governor  did  not  like  to  be  bawled  at. 
He  was  sufficiently  embarrassed  already  by  the  quag- 
mire into  which  Alfieri  had  plunged  him. 

202 


A  Woman  Intervenes 

"You  ought  to  be  careful  in  your  choice  of  words," 
he  said  pompously.  "There  is  no  question  of  'dare' 
or  'dare  not'  where  I  am  concerned.  Signora,  do  me 
the  favor  of  sitting  here  while  I  discuss  matters  briefly 
with  Signer  Alfieri.  Signer,  be  good  enough  to  pre- 
cede me." 

He  pointed  to  the  door.  With  a  queer  catching  at 
her  breath,  Mrs.  Haxton  sank  into  a  chair.  Alfieri 
folded  his  arms  and  gazed  at  the  Governor  with  eyes 
that  blazed  under  his  heavy  brows. 

"You  are  the  representative  of  Italy,"  he  said, 
making  a  great  effort  to  speak  quietly.  "  I  call  on  you 
to  lodge  that  woman  in  a  cell  so  that  she  may  be  tried 
with  her  accomplice." 

"  If  you  do  not  go  instantly,  and  in  silence,  into  the 
corridor,  I  shall  call  on  my  guards  to  take  you  there 
by  force,"  exclaimed  Marchetti  with  a  more  successful 
assumption  of  ease. 

Alfieri  turned  his  lambent  glance  on  Mrs.  Haxton, 
but  the  Governor  stopped  the  imminent  outburst. 

"I  said  'in  silence,'"  he  roared,  stretching  a  hand 
to  grasp  a  bell-rope.  Alfieri,  with  a  fierce  gesture  of 
disdain,  went  out.  His  Excellency  bowed  to  the  lady. 

"Two  minutes,"  he  murmured.  "The  wine  on  the 
table  is  Capri.  You  will  find  it  grateful  after  this 
somewhat  heated  interview." 

But  Mrs.  Haxton  drank  no  wine  when  the  Governor 
followed  Alfieri.  She  bit  her  lips  and  clenched  her 
hands  in  an  agony  of  restraint.  This  lull  in  the  storm 
was  more  trying  than  the  full  fury  of  the  blast. 

203 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

The  Governor's  two  minutes  lengthened  into  ten. 
Then  he  hurried  back,  alone.  He  was  manifestly  ill  at 
ease,  though  he  spoke  glibly  enough. 

"  I  am  taking  a  grave  step,  signora,"  he  said,  "  but 
I  feel  that  the  peculiar  circumstances  warrant  it.  I 
have  released  the  Baron  von  Kerber.  He  is  now 
awaiting  you,  and  it  will  give  me  much  pleasure  to 
conduct  you  to  your  carriage.  Yet  I  pray  you  give 
earnest  heed  to  me.  I  have  told  him  what  I  now  tell 
you  —  this  undertaking  of  yours  must  be  abandoned. 
Not  only  is  it  my  duty  to  prevent  it  at  all  costs,  but  an 
expedition  starts  for  the  Five  Hills  this  very  night.  So, 
you  see,  you  are  sure  to  fail  in  any  case.  The  exact 
locality  is  known,  and  Signer  Alfieri  has  an  armed 
escort.  I  repeat,  you  have  failed.  May  I  hope, 
without  being  rude,  that  your  love  affairs  may  be  more 
prosperous.  Charming  woman  that  you  are,  I  cannot 
compliment  you  on  either  of  your  present  suitors. 
My  advice  is,  go  back  to  England,  and  help  me  to- 
morrow in  persuading  Signer  Fenshawe  to  let  matters 
rest  where  they  are." 

As  one  walking  in  a  dream,  Mrs.  Haxton  accom- 
panied Marchetti  to  the  courtyard.  There  she  found 
von  Kerber,  who  ran  to  meet  her. 

"  So  it  is  you,"  he  cried  in  English.  "  I  guessed  it, 
though  they  would  tell  me  nothing." 

The  Governor  was  most  polite.  He  would  not 
lecture  them  before  natives. 

"  I  have  spoken  as  a  friend  to-night,"  he  murmured. 
"To-morrow  I  shall  be  an  official  once  more." 

204 


A  Woman  Intervenes 

The  alabeeyah  rattled  across  the  paved  square 
towards  the  gateway.  Alfieri,  on  whom  an  officer 
kept  an  eye,  watched  it  with  malevolence  from  an  upper 
window. 

"There  go  two  people  whom  I  hate,"  he  said  to  his 
guardian.  "They  have  escaped  me  this  time.  When 
I  am  rich,  rich  as  any  king  in  Europe,  I  shall  have  a 
king's  power.  Then  I  shall  find  them  and  crush  them 
utterly." 

The  driver  swung  his  horses  towards  the  sea  front. 

"No,  no,"  cried  Mrs.  Haxton.  "Go  through  the 
bazaar.  Drive  slowly."  And,  in  the  next  breath,  she 
explained  to  von  Kerber:  "We  must  find  Abdullah. 
He  is  somewhere  in  the  main  street.  Above  all  things, 
we  must  find  Abdullah.  Alfieri  leaves  Massowah  to- 
night, and  he  is  making  for  the  Five  Hills.  Our  only 
hope  lies  with  Abdullah." 


205 


CHAPTER  XII 

STUMP   DEPENDS   ON   OBSERVATION 

AFTER  eight  hours  of  dreamless  sleep,  Irene  awoke 
to  a  torpid  but  blissful  conviction  that  bed  is  a  most 
comfortable  place  when  bones  ache  and  the  slightest 
movement  is  made  irksome  by  patches  of  chafed  skin. 
In  fact,  having  buried  her  hands  gingerly  in  the  wealth 
of  brown  hair  that  streamed  over  the  pillow,  she  lay 
and  watched  the  white  planks  of  the  deck  overhead, 
wondering  idly  what  time  it  was.  The  effort  to  guess 
the  hour  brought  her  a  stage  nearer  complete  con- 
sciousness. Her  first  precise  recollection  was  also 
pleasant.  She  thought  of  the  way  in  which  Royson 
had  carried  her  in  his  arms  not  so  many  hours  earlier, 
and  the  memory  banished  all  others  for  many  minutes. 

If  she  smiled  and  blushed  a  little,  it  may  be  pleaded 
that  she  was  twenty  years  of  age,  and  had  passed  her 
girlhood  amidst  surroundings  from  which  young  men 
eligible  to  carry  young  ladies  in  their  arms,  or  even 
hold  them  there,  were  rigorously  excluded.  Not  that 
her  grandfather  was  a  misanthrope,  but  his  interests 
were  bound  up  so  thoroughly  in  Egyptian  research 
that  his  friends  were,  for  the  most  part,  elderly  savants 
with  kindred  tastes.  The  wreck  of  the  Bokhara,  too, 

206 


Stump  depends  on  Observation 

with  Irene's  father  and  mother  among  its  passengers, 
had  helped  to  cut  him  off  from  the  social  world.  When 
the  grief  of  that  tragedy  had  yielded  to  the  passing 
years  he  hardly  realized  that  the  little  child  who  had 
crept  into  his  affections  was  growing  up  into  a  beautiful 
and  light-hearted  girl.  Quite  insensibly  she  assimi- 
lated herself  to  his  hobbies  and  studies,  became  mis- 
tress of  his  London  house  and  fine  estate  in  Berkshire, 
and,  by  operation  of  forces  more  effective  in  their 
way  than  any  Puritanical  safeguards,  lived  apart  from 
the  gay  throng  in  which  she  was  eminently  fitted  to 
take  a  leading  place. 

Irene  offered,  then,  a  somewhat  unusual  type. 
While  other  girls  might  recount  the  number  of  male 
hearts  they  had  subdued  during  the  past  season,  Irene 
could  state,  with  equal  accuracy,  the  names  of  the  gods 
of  the  Memphite  order.  Though  her  grandfather's 
wealth  and  the  eagerness  of  a  skilled  maid  compelled 
her  to  take  a  passing  interest  in  fashions,  she  was  far 
more  devoted  to  variations  in  scarabs.  Such  attain- 
ments, if  sedulously  pursued  during  the  succeeding 
decade,  might  have  converted  her  into  an  alarmingly 
precise  Bas  Bleu!  As  it  was,  the  Memphite  gods 
smiled  on  her,  and  the  scarabs  might  buzz  off  to  their 
museums  contentedly  at  any  moment,  for  Irene  was 
only  waiting  the  advent  of  an  undreamed-of  influence 
into  her  life  to  develop  into  a  tender,  sympathetic, 
delightful  womanhood. 

Indeed,  if  Ka  and  Ra  and  beetle-headed  Khepra 
were  so  important  in  the  scheme  of  existence  that  this 

207 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

dainty  scientist  cared  naught  for  the  moth-life  of  so- 
ciety, why,  then,  did  she  blush  when  she  remembered 
how  closely  Dick  Royson  had  clasped  her  to  his  breast 
over-night?  Perhaps  she  might  have  asked  herself 
that  question,  only  to  blush  more  deeply  in  trying  to 
answer  it,  had  not  her  thoughts  been  distracted  by  the 
extraordinary  behavior  of  a  silk  underskirt  hanging 
on  a  peg  at  the  foot  of  the  bed.  It  was  swinging  to 
and  fro  with  the  regularity  of  a  pendulum,  and  that 
which  is  regular  in  a  pendulum  is  fantastically  irregular 
in  an  underskirt.  She  sat  up  quickly,  and  listened. 
There  was  a  swish  of  water  outside.  Now  and  again 
she  heard  a  slight  movement  of  the  rudder  chains  in 
their  boxes.  Then,  all  aglow  with  wonder  and  excite- 
ment, she  jumped  out  of  bed  and  drew  the  curtain  of 
one  of  the  two  tiny  portholes  that  gave  light  to  her 
cabin. 

Yes,  another  marvel  had  happened.  The  yacht  was 
speeding  along  under  canvas, —  was  already  far  out  at 
sea.  Where  Massowah's  yellow  sandspit  shone  yes- 
terday were  now  blue  wavelets  dancing  in  the  sun,  and 
Irene  was  sailor  enough  to  know  that  the  Aphrodite 
was  bound  south. 

She  rang  an  electric  bell,  and  her  maid  came. 

"Yes,  miss,"  said  the  girl,  "we've  been  going  since 
midnight.  As  soon  as  Mrs.  Haxton  and  Baron  von 
Kerber  came  on  board  — 

"Baron  von  Kerber,  did  you  say?"  broke  in  Irene 
breathlessly. 

"Yes,  miss.  He  came  with  Mrs.  Haxton.  Mind 
208 


Stump  depends  on  Observation 

you,  miss,  I  haven't  seen  him,  but  one  of  the  stewards 
told  me  that  the  Baron  went  straight  to  Mr.  Fen- 
shawe's  cabin,  and  the  order  was  given  to  raise  the 
anchor  immediately.  I'm  sure  they  made  plenty  of 
noise.  They  woke  me  up,  miss,  and  I'm  a  sound 
sleeper." 

The  maid  was  ready  to  say  more,  but  Irene  had 
learnt  to  discourage  servants'  gossip. 

"  I  think  the  Aphrodite  might  have  fired  cannons  last 
night  without  disturbing  me,"  she  declared  lightly. 
"What  time  is  it?" 

"Nearly  nine  o'clock,  miss.  No  one  seemed  to  be 
stirring,  so  Mr.  Gibson  put  off  breakfast  for  half  an 
hour.  He  said  that  everybody  must  be  worn  out  after 
yesterday's  worries." 

Irene  laughed.  Gibson,  the  head  steward,  a  fatherly 
sort  of  man,  was  a  martinet  in  the  matter  of  punctuality 
at  meals.  This  adjourning  of  the  breakfast  hour  was 
a  great  concession  on  his  part.  It  showed  how  stren- 
uous life  had  been  at  Massowah. 

Despite  her  aches  and  pains,  she  dressed  rapidly. 
She  was  all  agog  to  learn  how  von  Kerber  had  regained 
his  liberty,  and  what  new  development  was  marked 
by  the  yacht's  unexpected  sailing.  When  she  hurried 
to  the  bridge  for  news,  the  first  person  she  met  was 
Royson,  and  perhaps  one  of  those  old  deities  of  Mem- 
phis would  have  smiled  darkly  were  he  privileged  to  see 
the  tell-tale  color  that  leaped  to  both  faces. 

Naturally,  the  girl  was  the  speedier  to  find  her 
tongue. 

209 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"Good  gracious,  Mr.  Royson,"  she  said,  "what  is 
the  meaning  of  this?"  and  a  generous  hand-sweep 
included  sea  and  sky  and  distant  coastline  in  the 
eager  question. 

"I  don't  know,"  he  said.  "Captain  Stump  and 
Mr.  Tagg  entered  into  a  conspiracy  to  keep  me  in 
bed.  I  have  not  been  on  deck  five  minutes." 

"But  didn't  you  ask?  Aren't  you  consumed  with 
curiosity  ?  Who  is  in  charge  of  the  bridge  ?  " 

"Mr.  Tagg.  His  stock  of  information  is  limited. 
'Cleared  the  islands  at  four  bells;  course  South-40- 
East'  is  practically  all  he  has  to  say." 

"It  may  be,  then,  that  you  are  good  at  guessing? 
Have  you  not  heard  that  the  Baron  is  with  us  ? " 

"Yes,  Miss  Fenshawe,  I  knew  that  last  night.  In- 
deed, I  heard  his  boat  hail  the  watch.  I  was  lying 
awake,  and  the  Baron's  voice  is  easily  recognizable." 

"Mrs.  Haxton  seems  to  have  succeeded  where  all 
else  failed.  Did  you  see  any  of  their  companions? 
Was  El  Jaridiah  with  them?" 

"No.  I  plead  guilty  to  opening  a  port  and  look- 
ing out.  The  tide  carried  the  boat  close  beneath  me 
when  she  was  cast  loose  from  the  gangway.  El 
Jaridiah,  or  Abdullah,  if  that  is  his  name,  was  not 
there." 

"It  is  all  very  mysterious  and  puzzling,"  said  Irene, 
gazing  at  the  purple  mountains  which  fringed  the 
southwest  horizon.  "I  am  sorry  we  have  not  been 
able  to  reward  the  man,  and  I  had  set  my  heart  on 
buying  Moti.  Don't  you  think  it  was  rather  wonderful 

210 


klnKS    wOHn.o-.tiy 

He  did  not  dare  meet  the  glance  suddenly  turned  on  him 

Page  211 


Stump  depends  on  Observation 

that  such  a  weedy-looking  animal  should  have  carried 
us  so  safely?" 

"It  was  all  very  wonderful,"  Dick  replied,  but  he  did 
not  dare  to  meet  the  glance  suddenly  turned  on  him. 
For  some  reason,  Miss  Fenshawe  decided  to  guide 
their  talk  into  a  less  personal  channel. 

"If  the  breakfast  gong  does  not  ring  immediately, 
I  shall  go  and  hammer  on  grandad's  door,"  she  vowed. 
"He  hates  being  disturbed  when  he  is  dressing,  but  I 
am  simply  aching  to  find  out  what  has  happened  and 
where  we  are  going.  And,  talking  of  aches,  Mr. 
Royson,  look  at  my  poor  wrists." 

She  held  out  both  her  hands,  close  together,  with  the 
palms  downwards.  Royson  noticed  instantly  she  was 
wearing  a  beautiful  marquise  ring  on  the  middle  finger 
of  her  left  hand.  The  rules  which  govern  the  use  of 
these  baubles  were  beyond  his  ken.  A  plain  gold  ring 
on  a  lady's  so-called  fourth  finger  is  a  marriage  token 
known  to  all  men,  but  he  had  not  the  ghost  of  an 
idea  where  an  engagement  ring  should  be  carried,  and 
he  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  the  girl  was  wearing 
one.  Why  had  he  never  seen  it  before,  he  wondered  ? 
Was  it  a  hint,  a  reminder  of  the  conventions  ?  It  is 
probable  that  Irene  herself  would  have  been  surprised 
if  she  were  told  that  it  was  once  the  custom  for  engaged 
young  ladies  to  reveal  their  happiness  by  displaying  a 
ring  on  the  middle  finger,  while  those  who  were  free 
but  prepared  to  wed  might  coyly  announce  the  fact  by 
a  ring  on  the  index  finger.  Be  that  as  it  may,  Roysoii 
was  dumfounded  by  the  sight  of  the  glistening  dia- 

211 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

monds.  They  winked  at  him  evilly,  and  his  tongue 
tripped : 

"I  cannot  tell  you  how  sorry  I  am,"  he  murmured 
thickly.  Irene  dropped  her  hands. 

"Unless  you  are  able  to  squint,  you  didn't  look  at 
my  wrists  at  all,"  she  exclaimed.  A  gong  pealed  loudly 
from  the  cabin,  and  she  ran  off.  Dick  made  for  the 
chart-room,  in  front  of  which  Tagg  was  leaning  on  the 
rail  and  gazing  ahead. 

"You've  bin  quick,"  said  the  chief.  "'Keep  her 
steady  as  she  goes,  South-40-East,  until  the  ole  man 
comes  on  deck.  If  the  wind  drops,  call  'im." 

Then  Dick  remembered  that  Tagg  had  bidden  him 
have  his  breakfast  before  he  came  on  duty.  Royson 
said  nothing,  but  took  his  station  on  the  bridge.  Tagg, 
being  lame,  preferred  to  swing  himself  to  the  main 
deck,  whence  he  hopped  into  the  small  cabin  where 
the  officers  ate  their  meals.  He  came  back  instantly. 

"Wot's  the  game?"  he  inquired  sympathetically. 
"You've  eaten  nothin'.  Feelin'  bad?" 

"No.     Oh,  no."     Royson  laughed  and  reddened. 

"Then  wot's  wrong?  Didn't  you  fancy  the  corfee 
an'  bacon  after  the  high  livin'  ashore  ? " 

"  The  fact  is,  I  met  Miss  Fenshawe,  and  she  detained 
me  a  few  minutes." 

"Is  that  any  reason  why  you  shouldn't  eat?" 

"  None  whatever.     I  —  er  —  really  —  forgot." 

"Forgot  your  breakfast!     Come  orf  of  it." 

Tagg  climbed  up,  monkey-like. 

"Take  my  tip,"  he  said  earnestly.  "This  is  a  bad 
212 


Stump  depends  on  Observation 

climate  to  go  hungry  in.  You'd  'ave  a  touch  of  the 
sun  in  less'n  no  time.  Just  go  below,  an'  force  yerself 
to  nibble  a  bit.  It'll  do  you  good,  an'  I  don't  mind 
keepin'  watch  another  spell." 

Royson  obeyed  in  silence.  His  friend's  kindliness 
supplied  an  unconscious  but  necessary  tonic  to  his 
system.  Obviously,  the  second  mate  of  the  Aphrodite 
had  no  business  to  trouble  his  head  about  the  symbolism 
of  rings  worn  by  Miss  Irene  Fenshawe.  Yet  he  wished 
he  knew  which  was  the  engagement  finger. 

Shortly  before  noon  Captain  Stump  came  on  deck 
to  take  the  sun.  This  was  a  semi-religious  rite  with 
Stump.  Though  the  contours  of  the  coast  drawn  along 
two  sides  of  the  Admiralty  chart  rendered  a  solar 
observation  quite  needless  within  sight  of  land,  he 
proceeded  to  ascertain  the  yacht's  position  according 
to  the  formula,  or,  at  any  rate,  according  to  such  portion 
of  it  as  applied  to  his  rule-of-thumb  calculations. 
Having  pricked  the  chart  and  written  the  log,  Stump 
bit  the  end  off  a  cigar.  He  was  ready  for  a  gossip  with 
Royson. 

"You  won't  find  life  quite  so  lively  at  Aden  as  at 
Massowah,"  he  said. 

"  We  are  bound  for  Aden,  then  ?  " 

"Where  did  you  think  we  was  headin'  for?  Mel- 
bourne ?  " 

"Well,  sir,  if  I  gave  any  thought  to  it  I  inclined 
more  to  the  belief  that  we  were  making  for  our  original 
destination." 

"  An'  where  was  that  ?  " 

213 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"A  bay  somewhere  south  of  us,  not  far  from  Perin." 

"Have  you  heard  anything  fresh?"  asked  Stump 
quickly. 

"  Not  a  word.  But,  if  we  reach  Aden,  I  suppose  the 
expedition  will  be  abandoned." 

"They're  chewin'  about  it  now  in  the  saloon,"  said 
the  skipper,  glancing  over  his  shoulder  to  make  sure 
there  was  no  one  within  earshot.  His  sailor's  eye 
swept  the  horizon  at  the  same  instant,  and  he  saw  a 
smoke-blur  some  miles  astern.  Breaking  off  the.  con- 
versation abruptly,  he  went  into  the  chart-house,  and 
returned  with  a  telescope,  which  he  balanced  against 
a  stay. 

"There's  a  steamer  comin'  after  us  in  a  desprit 
hurry,"  he  announced,  when  a  prolonged  examination 
had  enabled  him  to  form  an  opinion. 

"  After  us  ?  "  repeated  Dick. 

"That's  the  way  I  read  it.  She's  from  Massowah. 
The  reg'lar  channel  is  fifty  miles  east.  Tell  you 
wot,  it's  that  I-talian  gunboat  the  guv'nor  spoke 
about." 

"But  she  was  not  in  port  when  we  left." 

"No.     We  passed  her  comin' in." 

"Ah,  she  recognized  us?" 

"Not  much.  We  were  under  sail,  an'  carried  no 
masthead  light.  When  I  twigged  hers  I  tied  a  couple 
of  sou'westers  over  our  side  lights.  It's  a  good  thing 
at  sea  to  mind  your  own  business  sometimes,  an', 
more'n  that,  to  take  care  that  other  people  mind  theirs 
when  they  want  to  be  nasty." 


Stump  depends  on  Observation 

"  Shall  we  keep  on  under  canvas,  sir  ?  " 

"As  long  as  the  wind  lasts,"  said  Stump,  closing  the 
telescope  and  rolling  off  towards  the  saloon.  Within  a 
minute  all  hands  were  on  deck.  The  corporate  life  of 
a  small  ship  is  closely  knit.  The  word  had  gone  round 
that  a  gunboat  was  in  pursuit,  and  every  one  wanted  to 
see  her. 

Mr.  Fenshawe  and  Baron  von  Kerber  stood  apart. 
The  older  man  was  visibly  annoyed  by  this  new  instance 
of  Italian  interference.  Royson,  pacing  the  tiny  bridge, 
caught  an  occasional  glimpse  of  the  millionaire's  em- 
phatic gestures.  The  Austrian  was  more  sallow  than 
usual,  but  that  might  be  the  result  of  his  unpleasant 
experiences  on  the  previous  day.  Irene  came  to  the 
bridge.  Though  she  knew  that  none  except  the  cap- 
tain might  converse  with  the  officer  on  duty,  she  whis- 
pered timidly: 

"  They  won't  fire  at  us,  Mr.  Royson,  will  they  ? " 

He  smiled  reassuringly.  The  tremor  in  her  voice 
was  delightful.  It  made  him  forget  that  wretched  ring 
for  a  moment. 

"  No,  that  is  not  to  be  feared,  Miss  Fenshawe.  My 
experience  of  the  sea  is  no  greater  than  your  own,  but 
you  may  be  sure  the  Italians  will  follow  the  rules.  If 
they  really  wish  to  overhaul  us  they  will  fly  a  signal 
soon." 

The  warship  was  traveling  sixteen  knots  an  hour, 
the  Aphrodite  seven,  so  the  chase  did  not  last  long. 
About  one  o'clock  the  green,  white,  and  red  ensign  of 
Italy  fluttered  to  the  end  of  the  pursuing  vessel's  fore- 

215 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

yard,  where  it  could  be  seen  most  easily;  under  it  were 
shown  the  red  and  white  striped  code  signal,  and  the 
"J"  flag,  which  latter,  hi  the  language  of  the  sea, 
means,  "Stop;  I  have  something  important  to  com- 
municate." 

The  British  ensign  was  run  up,  followed  by  the 
answering  pennant,  the  mainsail  was  lowered,  the  fore- 
sail backed,  and  the  yacht  was  brought  to,  while  the 
Italian  ship,  which  was  made  out  to  be  the  Cigno, 
came  on  rapidly. 

Mrs.  Haxton  approached  Stump  and  whispered  in 
his  ear. 

"  Quite  right,  m'am,"  he  nodded.  He  walked  for- 
ward and  looked  at  the  crew,  mustered  in  full  strength 
in  the  fore  part. 

"Every  man,  'cept  those  on  watch,  go  below,"  he 
growled,  "an'  mind  you  keep  there,  with  all  ports 
closed,  until  I  ax  you  to  show  your  ugly  mugs  on 
deck." 

They  obeyed  in  sulky  silence,  though  they  appre- 
ciated the  reason  of  the  order.  Hence,  when  the  Cigno 
stopped  her  panting  engines  abreast  of  the  Aphrodite, 
there  were  many  more  pairs  of  eyes  watching  from  the 
yacht  than  the  Italian  captain  reckoned  on. 

The  warship  lowered  a  boat.  Something  went  wrong 
with  the  gear,  the  after  block  jammed,  the  boat  fell 
and  dangled  from  her  davits  bows  first,  and  an  officer 
and  half  a  dozen  men  were  thrown  into  the  sea.  They 
were  soon  rescued,  but  the  mishap  did  not  tend  to 
sweeten  the  temper  of  the  Cigno's  commander.  A  dry 

216 


Stump  depends  on  Observation 

officer  and  crew  were  requisitioned,  and  the  boat  was 
pulled  alongside  the  yacht. 

Stump,  with  a  malicious  grin  on  his  face,  leaned  over 
the  starboard  rail. 

"Wot  is  it?"  he  demanded.  "Have  you  lost  yer 
bearin's  ?  " 

The  officer  replied  in  Italian,  greatly  to  Stump's 
disgust. 

"  I  s'pose  the  chap  they  chucked  overboard  was  the 
on'y  Dago  among  'em  who  could  speak  English,"  he 
grunted,  but  Mrs.  Haxton  explained  that  the  officer  was 
asking  for  the  gangway  to  be  lowered.  Stump  nodded 
to  a  couple  of  sailors,  and  the  ladder  dropped  so  smartly 
that  the  boat  nearly  came  to  grief  a  second  time. 

The  officer  bowed  very  politely  when  he  reached  the 
deck.  Probably  he  was  surprised  to  find  himself  in 
the  presence  of  two  such  beautiful  women.  Though 
Irene  spoke  Italian,  Mrs.  Haxton  took  on  herself  the 
role  of  interpreter.  The  Cigno  carried  two  letters  from 
the  Governor  of  Massowah,  she  said.  One  was  ad- 
dressed to  Signor  Fenshawe,  the  other  to  the  signer 
captain  of  the  British  yacht  Aphrodite.  Would  the 
two  gentlemen  kindly  read  and  acknowledge  receipt  of 
the  Governor's  epistles  ? 

Both  were  purely  formal  documents.  They  set  forth 
the  official  demand  that  the  Aphrodite  should  not 
attempt  to  land  any  of  her  occupants  on  Italian  territory 
at  other  than  a  recognized  port,  and  warned  her  owner 
and  commander  that  the  Cigno  would  enforce  observ- 
ance of  the  request.  , 

217 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

At  first,  Mr.  Fenshawe  refused  angrily  to  give  a 
written  reply,  but  von  Kerber  prevailed  on  him,  and 
he  wrote: 

"  Mr.  Hiram  Fenshawe  begs  to  inform  the  Governor 
of  Erythrea  that  his  prohibition  of  the  landing  of  a 
British  scientific  expedition  in  the  colony  he  rules  is 
arbitrary  and  unwarranted.  Mr.  Hiram  Fenshawe  is 
further  of  opinion  that  the  said  prohibition  is  part  of 
the  lawless  treatment  to  which  he  and  other  members 
of  the  yacht's  company  were  subjected  during  their 
visit  to  the  'recognized  port'  of  Massowah.  Finally, 
Mr.  Hiram  Fenshawe  intends  to  lay  the  whole  matter 
before  the  British  Foreign  Office." 

This  stiff-necked  answer  showed  clearly  that  the 
writer  was  still  on  von  Kerber's  side,  no  matter  what 
revelations  were  contained  in  the  letter  from  London 
which  Royson  knew  of.  Irene  copied  the  note  for  her 
grandfather.  She  made  no  comment.  Perhaps  her 
own  island  blood  was  a-boil  at  the  cavalier  tone  of  the 
Governor's  threat. 

Stump's  letter  was  characteristic.     It  ran: 

"S.  Y.  Aphrodite, 
"Lat.  15°  10'  N.,  Long.  41°  15'  E. 
"  SIR  —  Yours  at  hand.     Will  act  as  think  fit. 
"Yours  truly, 

"JOHN  STUMP,  Master." 

The  disagreeable  part  of  this  business  ended,  the 
Italian  officer  conveyed  the  compliments  of  the  Cigno's 
commander,  and,  on  his  behalf,  invited  Signer  Fen- 
shawe and  the  two  ladies  to  luncheon.  Mr.  Fenshawe 

218 


Stump  depends  on  Observation 

stiffly  declined,  on  the  plea  that  he  did  not  wish  to 
interrupt  the  voyage,  and  the  envoy  went  back  to  his 
ship. 

The  Aphrodite  swung  round  into  the  wind,  dipped 
her  ensign,  and  was  soon  bowling  along  at  her  usual 
rate.  The  Cigno  stood  away  for  the  coast,  but,  as  the 
day  wore,  it  was  palpable  that  she  did  not  mean  to 
part  company  with  the  yacht  until  the  Straits  of  Bab- 
el-mandeb  were  passed. 

About  four  o'clock  the  wind  dropped  and  the  engines 
were  called  on.  With  the  night  the  wind  rose  again 
but  veered  to  the  south.  The  Cigno's  lights  were 
clearly  visible  at  about  three  miles'  distance.  Her 
white  masthead  light  watched  the  Aphrodite  without 
blinking,  while  her  red  and  green  eyes  suggested  to 
Irene's  fancy  some  fabled  monster  of  the  deep  waiting 
to  pounce  on  the  yacht  if  she  deviated  an  inch  from 
her  seaward  course. 

The  girl  snatched  a  few  minutes'  talk  with  Royson. 
Von  Kerber,  it  seemed,  had  persuaded  her  grandfather 
that  Alfieri  was  the  paid  agent  of  rival  archeologists 
who  had  got  wind  of  the  Sabsean  hoard,  and  were  able 
to  secure  the  help  of  the  Italian  Government.  She  was 
convinced  that  the  ill  treatment  meted  out  to  them  at 
Massowah  had  only  confirmed  the  old  gentleman's  de- 
termination to  best  his  opponents  at  all  costs.  The 
burking  of  his  cablegrams,  made  known  by  the  Baron, 
was  the  last  straw  in  an  aggravated  load.  The  yacht 
was  going  to  Aden  to  enable  him  to  lodge  a  complaint 
with  the  proper  authorities,  but  she  would  leave  almost 

219 


at  once  for  French  Somaliland,  where  a  kafila  would  be 
collected  and  a  dash  made  across  the  Italian  frontier. 
And  Dick  gathered  that  Irene  herself  was  inclined  to  let 
affairs  run  their  natural  course.  He  agreed  with  her, 
which  was  to  be  expected,  seeing  that  he  was  four-and 
twenty,  and  in  love.  He  cudgeled  his  brains  for  some 
pretext  to  discuss  rings  and  the  manner  of  wearing  them, 
but  his  wit  failed  him  there.  Irene  on  the  deck  of  her 
grandfather's  yacht  differed  in  several  important  par- 
ticulars from  the  tremulous  girl  who  clung  to  him  during 
that  blissful  journey  of  the  previous  night. 

He  tried  to  clear  up  this  vital  point  with  Tagg. 

"Did  you  ever  give  a  young  lady  an  engagement 
ring?"  he  asked,  after  judiciously  leading  his  chief  to 
discourse  on  the  frailties  of  the  sex. 

"  Well,"  said  Tagg  reflectively,  "  it  all  depen's  on  the 
way  you  take  it.  I  once  gev'  a  girl  a  Mizpah  ring, 
which  she  fancied  when  she  saw'r  it  in  a  pawnshop 
window.  Next  time  I  met  her  she  tole  me  she'd 
swopped  it  for  a  dress  improver.  The  feller  she  was 
goin'  to  marry  didn't  like  the  motter  as  comin'  from 
me,  you  see,  but  the  funny  thing  was  she  never  said  a 
word  about  him  when  she  saw'r  me  buyin'  the  ring. 
Since  then,  I've  kep'  me  money  in  me  pocket." 

Royson  took  the  morning  watch,  from  4  A.M.  till  8. 
Stump  joined  him  soon  after  dawn,  and  appeared  to 
be  anxious  about  the  yacht's  exact  position.  So  far  as 
Dick  could  judge  from  the  chart,  they  were  in  safe 
waters;  nevertheless,  the  stout  skipper  did  not  rest 
content  until  the  tall  peak  of  Jebel  Aduali  opened  up 

220 


Stump  depends  on  Observation 

clear  of  Jebel  Ash  Ali,  with  Sanahbor  Island  bearing 
west. 

A  lighthouse  on  the  mainland  flashed  a  bright  ray 
at  them  before  the  rising  sun  rendered  its  warning 
unnecessary.  Still  dogging  them,  the  Cigno  followed 
in  their  wake  at  half  speed,  but  Stump  gave  no  eye  to 
the  warship.  He  continued  to  scan  the  coast  intently. 
A  low,  double-peaked  hill  intervened  between  the  lofty 
Jebel  Aduali  and  the  ship.  When  its  saddle  cut  the 
summit  of  the  more  distant  mountain,  Stump  changed 
the  course  sharply. 

To  Royson's  surprise,  the  yacht  turned  due  west,  and 
headed  for  the  point  whence  the  lighthouse  had  gleamed 
half  an  hour  earlier. 

And  now,  instead  of  looking  ahead,  Stump  kept  his 
telescope  glued  on  the  Cigno.  A  cloud  of  smoke  from 
the  gunboat's  funnels  showed  that  she  had  noted  the 
Aphrodite's  new  direction,  and  meant  to  take  a  close 
interest  in  it.  She  had  a  few  miles  to  make  up,  but 
that  was  a  simple  matter,  and  her  nose  swung  to  the 
southwest  as  she  raced  for  the  bay  towards  which  the 
yacht  was  steaming. 

Both  vessels  held  on,  following  converging  lines,  for 
nearly  an  hour.  By  that  time  they  were  hardly  a  mile 
apart.  Suddenly  Stump  sent  the  Aphrodite  round  until 
she  lay  on  her  previous  course.  In  a  word,  after 
standing  in  for  the  land  in  the  most  decided  manner, 
he  was  now  making  for  the  Straits  again. 

This  behavior  apparently  puzzled  the  Italian  vessel, 
as,  indeed,  it  succeeded  in  puzzling  Royson  and  the 

221 


The  Wheel  o*  Fortune 

man  at  the  wheel,  while  the  looks  cast  towards  the 
bridge  by  the  watch,  who  were  mainly  employed  in 
swabbing  the  deck,  told  that  the  men  were  commenting 
on  the  yacht's  erratic  wanderings. 

All  at  once  the  blare  of  a  siren  came  faintly  over  the 
shimmering  sea,  and  Stump  chuckled  triumphantly. 

"  He's  found  it,"  he  roared,  his  voice  almost  rivaling 
the  hoarseness  of  the  far-off  foghorn.  "  Sink  me  if  that 
Dago  wasn't  so  taken  up  with  pipin'  my  antics  that  he's 
gone  an'  done  it!" 

"Done  what,  sir?"  asked  Dick,  seeing  that  his 
respected  skipper  was  in  hilarious  mood. 

"Run  his  bloomin'  Cigno  onto  the  Scilla  Shoal. 
Damme,  I  thought  he'd  do  it.  Listen  to  him,"  for 
another  wail  reached  them  from  the  disconsolate  war- 
ship. "  He's  fixed  there  as  though  he  was  glued  to  it. 
He'll  have  to  jettison  all  his  bunker  an'  a  gun  or  two 
afore  he  gets  off.  They  tell  me  Cigno  means  'swan.' 
I  wonder  wot's  the  I-talian  for  'goose.'  Go  an'  tell 
Tagg.  Tell  him  to  tumble  up  quick,  if  on'y  for  the 
sake  of  ole  tunes." 

Royson  aroused  the  chief,  and  gave  him  the  skipper's 
message.  Tagg,  rubbing  his  eyes,  came  on  deck.  He 
looked  at  the  Cigno,  heard  her  dismal  trumpeting,  and 
slowly  took  in  the  surroundings. 

"Well,  s'elp  me!"  he  grinned.  "Sorry  to  rake  cold 
ashes,  cap'n,  but  isn't  that  where  you  piled  up  the 
Ocean  Queen  ?  " 

"Don't  I  know  it!"  growled  Stump.  "One  solid 
month  we  stuck  there,  didn't  we,  Tagg  ?  Threw  over- 

222 


Stump  depends  on  Observation 

board  two  thousand  tons  o'  best  Cardiff,  an'  then  had 
to  be  hauled  off  by  another  tramp.  Well,  good-by, 
Swan!  I'll  report  you  at  Perim.  An'  mind  you  take 
care  o'  them  letters.  It  'ud  be  a  pity  if  the  Governor 
didn't  'ave  'em  in  time.  By  gad,  I  never  thought  I'd 
owe  the  Ocean  Queen  a  good  turn.  She  lost  me  my 
berth,  an'  nearly  cost  me  my  ticket,  but  she's  made  it 
up  to-day.  Come  on,  Tagg,  we'll  have  a  tot  o'  rum 
an'  drink  to  the  rotten  ole  hulk  which  gev'  us  best 
ag'in  that  swaggerin'  I-talian.  My  godfather,  won't 
Becky  be  pleased  when  she  hears  of  it!" 

And  the  two  dived  below  to  partake  of  the  generous 
spirit  which  pays  homage  to  the  rising  sun,  while  the 
Cigno  bleated  her  distress  to  deaf  ears. 


223 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   SIGN   IN  THE   SKY 

"  THERE  is  a  spice  of  the  nomad  in  all  of  us,"  said 
Irene,  pulling  up  her  hardy  Somali  pony  and  allowing 
him  to  graze  on  some  prickly  plant  from  which  a  grass- 
fed  animal  would  have  turned  in  hungry  disgust. 
"  Here  am  I,  quite  new  to  desert  life,  enjoying  it  to 
the  full.  Perhaps  my  remote  ancestors  were  gipsies. 
Do  I  look  like  a  gipsy,  Mr.  Royson  ?  " 

"  My  acquaintance  with  gipsies  is  limited,"  said  Dick. 
"  Once,  being  free  from  office  troubles  on  Derby  Day, 
I  walked  over  Epsom  Downs,  and  was  beseeched  many 
times  to  have  my  fortune  told.  Most  of  the  prophet- 
esses —  they  were  all  of  your  sex,  Miss  Fenshawe  — 
were  blessed  with  exceedingly  fine  complexions  and 
beautiful  eyes.  If  these  are  marked  features  of  the 
gipsy  tribe  — 

"  Don't  you  dare  bring  me  out  here  in  order  to  pay 
compliments." 

"Indeed,  I  am  but  stating  the  bare  truth  to  your 
face." 

"  If  you  persist,  then,  I  shall  be  compelled  to  act  the 
part  of  a  gipsy  and  tell  your  fortune,  and  I  warn  you 
that  it  will  not  be  very  cheerful  hearing." 

224 


The  Sign  in  the  Sky 

Royson  gazed  beyond  her  towards  a  white  mist  which 
shrouded  the  eastern  horizon.  Overhead,  the  delicious 
blue  of  early  morning  was  yielding  to  the  noonday  tint 
of  molten  copper. 

"Even  if  we  turn  back  to-day  there  are  thirty 
marches  between  us  and  the  sea,"  he  said  with  seeming 
irrelevance. 

But  those  two  were  beginning  to  understand  one 
another,  and  the  girl  colored  under  the  deep  tan  of 
sun  and  air. 

"  Whenever  we  are  alone  now  you  insist  on  talking 
nonsense,"  she  said.  "I  really  believe  the  desert  has 
made  you  light-headed.  Please  be  serious  for  a  mo- 
ment. I  brought  you  here  to  — 

"  I  am  glad  you  have  corrected  yourself.  A  moment 
ago  you  charged  me  with  bringing  you  here." 

"  Well,  then,  we  came  here,  if  one  must  be  so  accurate, 
to  be  away  from  the  others.  At  least,  I  mean  —  Well, 
that  is  a  stupid  way  of  putting  it,  but  it  will  serve  — 

"  It  has  served  most  admirably,"  said  Royson,  glan- 
cing back  at  the  long  drawn-out  caravan  crossing  the 
shallow  valley  they  had  just  quitted. 

"  There  you  go  again,"  she  cried,  with  just  a  touch  of 
petulance  in  her  tone.  "You  know  very  well  that  I 
did  not  mean  what  I  said." 

"Not  even  when  you  promised  to  tell  my  fortune." 

"I  can  explain  myself  that  way  if  you  like.  Your 
fortune  is  singularly  like  my  own  at  the  present  mo- 
ment. You  are  accompanying  a  crowd  of  people  who 
don't  know  where  they  are  going,  or  what  they  mean 

225 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

to  do  when  they  get  there.  I  am  quite  sure  the  Baron 
is  befogged,  or,  if  that  is  not  a  happy  expression  in  this 
wonderful  atmosphere,  shall  I  say  lost  ?  I  don't  speak 
Arabic,  but  I  can  read  that  man's  face,  and  I  watched 
him  this  morning  when  he  was  consulting  our  so-called 
guide.  In  plain  English,  Mr.  Royson,  we  are  drifting, 
in  the  vain  hope  that  somewhere  out  there  we  shall 
find  five  hills  in  a  clump.  I  don't  object,  in  a  sense. 
It  is  a  very  delightful  picnic  from  one  point  of  view. 
But  I  hate  uncertainty,  and  I  loathe  deceit,  and  here 
we  are  at  the  mercy  of  both,  while  my  grandfather  is 
so  taken  up  with  the  joy  of  arranging  everything,  which 
von  Kerber  very  cleverly  leaves  to  him,  that  he  simply 
won't  listen  to  me  when  I  suggest  the  need  of  more 
definite  information.  And  just  think  of  it !  Five  Hills! 
With  a  rocky  desert  in  front  and  five  thousand  hills  to 
the  left.  What  is  to  be  the  end  of  it  all?  Are  we  to 
go  wandering  on  till  we  march  into  Suez,  or  Cairo?" 

"  Our  sheikh  is  a  marvel  at  finding  oases,"  said  Dick. 
"  I  wonder  if  there  is  a  string  of  them  all  the  way 
between  here  and  — 

"Mr.  Royson,"  broke  in  Irene,  "you  are  the  only 
person  to  whom  I  can  confide  my  doubts  and  fears. 
They  may  be  silly,  but  please  don't  adopt  that  tone. 
It  — hurts." 

Royson,  who  had  dismounted,  slipped  his  Arab's 
bridle  under  an  arm  and  strode  a  pace  nearer. 

"  Don't  you  see  that  we  can  do  nothing  at  present  ?  " 
he  said  earnestly.  "  I  am  alive  to  the  difficulties  which 
may  beset  us  in  the  near  future;  but  what  would  you 

226 


The  Sign  in  the  Sky 

have  me  do,  Miss  Fenshawe?  If  your  grandfather 
were  not  of  the  party,  I  know  exactly  what  I  would 
propose  —  at  least,  I  think  I  know." 

"  And  that  is  ? " 

"That  Stump  and  some  of  our  men  should  escort 
you  and  Mrs.  Haxton  back  to  Pajura,  and  let  our 
Austrian  friend  ride  his  hobby  to  death.  And  believe 
me,  I  am  not  consulting  my  own  wishes  in  saying  that." 

"  Don't  you  wish  to  return  ?  " 

"  No.  I  love  this  arid  land.  I  never  see  the  super- 
cilious curl  of  a  camel's  lip  or  meet  the  bland  contempt 
of  his  eye  but  I  imagine  him  saying,  'Ah,  Feringhi, 
were  it  not  for  your  white  skin  I  might  whisper  strange 
secrets  into  your  ear,  but  you  are  an  unbelieving  dog, 
so  perforce  I  remain  dumb.'  Hence,  Miss  Fenshawe, 
inclination  pulls  one  way  and  common  sense  the  other. 
As  matters  stand,  I  plead  guilty  to  a  profound  gladness 
that  common  sense  has  not  swayed  us  to-day,  and  may 
escape  us  to-morrow.  Candidly,  I  am  enjoying  myself 
immensely." 

"  Then  there  is  nothing  more  to  be  said,"  cried  Irene, 
yielding  somewhat  to  his  buoyancy.  "  Shall  we  go  on, 
or  wait  here  for  the  kafila  to  overtake  us." 

"Unless  I  am  greatly  mistaken,"  said  Dick,  looking 
at  his  watch,  "we  shall  find  the  usual  oasis  hidden  in 
a  depression  about  two  miles  ahead.  Our  excellent 
sheikh,  Abdur  Kad'r,  times  the  morning  march  to  end 
precisely  at  ten  o'clock.  It  is  now  a  quarter  to  nine. 
Our  camels  march  two  and  a  half  miles  per  hour,  and 
we  are  three  quarters  of  a  mile  ahead.  Therein,  Miss 

227 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Fenshawe,  you  have  a  first-rate  example  of  deductive 
reasoning,  so  I  propose  that  we  advance  steadily,  and 
look  for  a  cluster  of  palms.  If,  happily,  their  shade  is 
not  taken  up  by  other  wanderers,  you  will  be  out  of 
the  sun  long  before  the  caravan  arrives.  What  say 

you?" 

"  Some  day  I  shall  stamp  my  foot  and  say  '  No '  — 
shriek  it  at  you,  in  fact.  I  hate  any  one  who  is  always 
right,  and  you  seem  to  be  utterly  different  since  we 
left  the  Aphrodite.  I  have  never  seen  such  a  change 
in  a  man.  One  would  think  you  were  born  in  the 
desert.  And  you  are  learning  Arabic  ten  times  more 
quickly  than  I." 

"I  do  not  find  favor  in  your  eyes  this  morning, 
though  it  is  good  to  know  that  I  have  reformed,  since, 
by  your  own  showing,  I  must  have  been  always  wrong 
aboard  ship,"  said  Dick,  remounting. 

"  Oh,  it  is  a  perfect  luxury  to  have  some  one  to  pitch 
into,"  cried  the  girl,  stirring  the  Somali  with  her  heel. 

"  But  won't  you  tell  me  what  I  have  done  that  vexes 
you,  Miss  Fenshawe  ?  " 

"  You  are  absurd.  You  pretend  that  you  see  nothing, 
whereas  I  am  sure  you  see  more  than  I,  but  you  refuse 
to  speak." 

Royson  seemed  to  be  singularly  unaffected  by  this 
outburst.  He  caught  the  angry  flush  on  the  girl's 
forehead,  and,  as  was  his  way  when  the  stubborn  fit 
seized  him,  threw  his  head  back,  with  lips  set.  Irene 
stole  a  look  at  him,  and  laughed  constrainedly. 

"Very  well.  If  you  won't  talk  I  must,"  she  said, 
228 


The  Sign  in  the  Sky 

with  a  great  air  of  determination.     "  It  is  about  Mrs. 
Haxton." 

"A  most  interesting  topic,"  said  Royson. 

"That  is  what  my  grandfather  seems  to  think." 

"He  told  me  last  night  that  he  considers  her  a 
singularly  well-informed  woman." 

"For  well-informed  read  artful,"  exclaimed  the  girl 
bitterly.  "Have  you  forgotten  what  I  said  to  you  in 
the  canal  ?  When  we  began  our  voyage  Mrs.  Haxton 
and  the  Baron  were  as  good  as  engaged.  Now  they 
have  reached  some  agreement  which  permits  Mrs. 
Haxton  to  fly  for  higher  matrimonial  game  than  a 
penniless  adventurer." 

"Do  you  really  think  that?" 

Royson  had  grown  suddenly  serious.  He  half  turned 
in  the  saddle  so  as  to  seek  the  added  inspiration  of 
Irene's  expression,  but  she  kept  her  eyes  studiously 
averted,  and  the  broad -brimmed  pith  hat  she  wore 
helped  to  conceal  her  face.  But  she  answered  readily. 

"  I  am  quite  certain  of  it.  How  else  could  I  discuss 
it  with  you  ?  " 

"The  view  I  take  is  that  she  merely  wishes  to  give 
von  Kerber  every  chance.  So  long  as  Mr.  Fenshawe 
remains  interested  —  beguiled,  if  you  like  —  she 
switches  his  thoughts  away  from  the  object  of  our 
journey.  Your  grandfather  is  a  masterful  man,  Miss 
Fenshawe.  If  he  suspected  that  we  were  following  a 
wild-goose  chase  he  would  turn  south  again  this  very 
hour." 

"Yet  I  am  sure  of  my  ground,"  she  persisted. 
229 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Royson's  horse  started  and  shied.  A  small  brown 
snake,  coiled  up  in  the  sunlight,  and  almost  invisible 
amidst  the  stones,  squirmed  rapidly  into  a  crevice  be- 
neath a  rock.  Such  incidents  in  the  desert  were  too 
frequent  to  demand  comment.  Dick  patted  the  Arab's 
neck  and  soon  soothed  him. 

"  Failing  our  discovery  of  this  fabled  treasure,  I  can 
appreciate  Mrs.  Haxton's  willingness  to  many  a  mil- 
lionaire," he  went  on.  "Yet  there  are  difficulties  in 
the  way.  That  viper  reminds  me  of  one.  Would  not 
von  Kerber  object  ?  " 

"No,"  said  Irene. 

They  jogged  along  in  silence  for  some  distance. 
The  girl  added  nothing  to  her  emphatic  monosyllable. 
Dick  felt  a  tugging  at  his  heart-strings  which  was 
becoming  a  dangerously  frequent  symptom. 

"  As  you  have  favored  me  with  your  confidence  thus 
far,  won't  you  take  the  next  step,  and  tell  me  why  you 
credit  Baron  von  Kerber  with  such  complaisance?" 
he  demanded. 

"A  woman  should  not  always  be  asked  for  reasons, 
Mr.  Royson,"  said  she  lightly. 

"In  the  graver  events  of  life  one  wishes  for  them, 
nevertheless." 

"  Perhaps  we  are  deviating  from  the  chief  issue,"  she 
countered.  "If  only  I  could  persuade  grandad  that 
he  is  being  wilfully  misled,  things  might  go  as  I  wish. 
Can't  you  help,  Mr.  Royson  ?  " 

Then  she  turned  her  face  to  his,  and  the  temptation 
that  had  gripped  him  many  a  time  of  late  came  back 

230 


The  Sign  in  the  Sky 

with  an  intensity  that  was  almost  unendurable.  He 
did  not  flinch  from  her  steadfast  eyes.  Though  the 
path  of  honor  was  steep  and  straight  he  must  tread  it 
to  the  end. 

"If  I  tell  your  grandfather  what  little  I  know  of 
these  people  I  break  my  word,"  he  said  harshly.  "  That 
is  the  only  reply  I  can  make,  Miss  Fenshawe.  May  I 
add  the  ignoble  argument  that  any  such  breach  of 
faith  on  my  part  would  probably  be  useless?  You 
ought  to  sympathize  with  me." 

"Why?  "she  said  coldly. 

"Because  it  is  not  often  that  a  man  is  tortured  as  I 
am  by  a  conflict  between  duty  and  —  and  desire." 

"There  is  our  palm  grove,"  she  cried,  pointing  to  a 
few  stunted  trees  whose  fronds  showed  above  the 
rock-strewn  bank  of  a  small  wady,  or  ravine,  which 
cut  through  the  center  of  the  shelving  plateau  they 
were  crossing.  "The  ground  is  fairly  clear  here. 
Shall  we  try  a  canter?" 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply  she  pressed  her  pony 
into  a  steady  gallop.  Royson  responded  to  her  way- 
ward mood,  and  followed  her  lead.  Though  the  sun 
was  so  hot  that  their  hands  would  have  blistered  if 
unprotected  by  gloves,  the  clean,  dry  air-current  created 
by  the  rapid  motion  was  exhilarating  in  the  extreme. 
They  were  riding  through  a  lost  continent,  yet  its 
savage  ruin  was  sublimely  beautiful.  The  compara- 
tively level  spot  that  allowed  the  luxury  of  a  gallop 
was  made  up  of  sand  and  stones,  with  here  and  there 
a  black  rock  thrusting  its  bold  contour  above  the 

231 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

shingle.  A  curiously  habitable  aspect  was  given  to 
the  desert  by  numbers  of  irregular  alluvial  mounds 
which,  on  examination,  were  found  to  consist  of  caked 
soil  held  together  by  the  roots  of  trees.  So,  at  one 
time,  this  arid  plain  had  borne  a  forest.  To  the 
mind's  eye,  here  lay  the  dead  earth's  burial-place. 

Ages  ago  a  torrent  had  fertilized  the  surrounding 
tract,  and  its  dried-up  bed  was  marked  by  water- 
smoothed  boulders.  Here  and  there,  small  groups  of 
dwarf  bushes,  covered  with  dagger-like  thorns,  drew 
sustenance  from  secret  rills  of  moisture.  The  camel 
path  they  followed  had  the  distinctness  of  daily  use, 
though  no  recognized  kafila  had  passed  that  way 
during  the  previous  year,  new  trade  routes  to  the 
interior  having  drawn  the  caravans  in  other  directions. 
Soon  it  turned  up  the  side  of  the  ravine.  The  sayall 
bushes  began  to  grow  more  densely,  and  the  wady 
spread  to  a  great  width.  Beyond  a  patch  of  pebbles 
lay  a  brown  carpet  of  tough  grass.  In  the  center  stood 
seven  date-trees  and  a  considerable  number  of  stunted 
bushes,  these  latter  differing  from  the  sayall  only  in 
the  size  of  their  thorns,  which  were  fully  two  inches 
long  and  seemingly  untouchable.  Yet,  next  to  water, 
the  thorn-crop  constituted  the  chief  wealth  of  the  oasis, 
because  camels  would  munch  the  tough  spines  with 
great  relish. 

The  camping-place  appeared  to  be  untenanted. 
Royson  found  the  footprints  of  gazelles  wherever  the 
sand  had  collected  in  a  hollow,  but  the  animals  must 
have  scampered  away  unseen  towards  the  barren  hills 

232 


The  Sign  in  the  Sky 

near  at  hand.  Through  an  occasional  gap  there  were 
glimpses  of  the  mighty  ramparts  of  Abyssinia.  It  was 
hard  to  realize  that  the  dainty  gazelle  could  find  food 
in  this  desolate  land.  Yet,  with  the  inborn  instinct  of 
the  hunter  and  scout,  Royson  unslung  his  carbine  and 
held  it  across  the  saddle-bow  as  he  urged  his  horse 
slightly  in  front  of  the  short-striding  Somali.  When 
he  drew  rein  he  rose  in  the  stirrups  to  peer  through  the 
barrier  of  thorns. 

"First  come,  first  served,"  he  cried  joyously.  "We 
have  the  forage  to  ourselves,  Miss  Fenshawe.  I  shall 
be  sorry  for  any  others  who  come  this  way  after  our 
host  has  passed.  Look  at  it  now.  It  is  an  absolute 
army.  We  shall  strip  this  poor  little  garden  of  the 
desert  as  locusts  are  said  to  eat  up  a  cornfield." 

Irene  slipped  from  the  saddle,  loosened  the  girths, 
and  then  glanced  at  the  distant  caravan,  which  had 
just  become  visible  again  on  the  sky-line  of  the  plateau. 
It  was  more  than  likely  that  no  such  mixed  gathering 
of  men  and  animals  had  taken  that  road  since  the 
destruction  of  forests  converted  the  country  into  a 
wilderness.  The  party  from  the  yacht  numbered  eigh- 
teen; there  were  fifty  Bedawi  Arabs  in  attendance  on 
a  hundred  camels;  eight  horses,  Arabs  or  Somali 
ponies,  each  required  a  syce,  while  the  sheikh  who 
had  brought  the  caravan  from  Pajura  was  overlord  of 
a  score  of  hangers-on  who  figured  in  his  list  as 
servants. 

A  thin  haze  of  dust  rose  as  this  regiment  advanced. 
In  that  wonderful  light  its  progress  might  be  marked 

233 


twenty  miles  away  by  keen  eyes.  The  girl  watched  it 
silently  for  a  time,  while  Royson,  knowing  the  manner 
in  which  the  camp  would  be  formed,  picketed  the  two 
horses  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  general  arrange- 
ments. 

Then  he  lit  a  cigarette  and  rejoined  Irene. 

"  How  far  distant  is  the  head  of  the  caravan  now  ? " 
she  asked. 

"  Nearly  two  miles.  It  looks  more  like  two  furlongs," 
said  he,  divining  her  thought,  for  it  was  easy  to  discern 
Mrs.  Haxton,  wrapped  in  a  gray  dust-cloak,  on  a 
splendid  riding  camel  in  advance  of  the  main  body; 
beside  her,  on  Arab  horses,  were  Mr.  Fenshawe  and 
von  Kerber,  the  latter  having  just  ridden  up  from  the 
rear. 

"  Does  one's  sight  become  better,  then,  by  residence 
in  this  strange  land  ?  "  murmured  the  girl. 

Royson  deliberately  ignored  the  less  obvious  signifi- 
cance of  the  words. 

"I  think  so,"  he  said.  "When  all  is  said  and  done, 
desert  and  sea  are  akin,  and  most  certainly  a  sea 
voyage  benefits  the  eyes.  Yet,  now  that  you  mention 
it,  the  atmosphere  is  remarkably  clear  to-day." 

"Are  you  weather-wise,  Mr.  Royson?  Is  not  that 
a  sign  of  storm  ? " 

"I  sought  instruction  from  Sheikh  Abdur  Kad'r  on 
that  very  point  only  this  morning.  He  says  that  the 
Kamsin  does  not  blow  at  this  season,  and  there  is  every 
reason  to  believe  that  it  has  not  rained  in  this  locality 
during  the  past  three  hundred  years." 

234 


The  Sign  in  the  Sky 

"  Dear  me !    Three  —  htm-dred  —  years ! " 
"Yes.     Sorry,  but  I  can't  make  it  any  less." 
"  Then  you  may  give  Sheikh  Abdur  Kad'r  my  com- 
pliments and  tell  him  I  predict  either  a  thunderstorm 
or    some    unusual    disturbance    before    night.     Mrs. 
Haxton   has  a  very  effective  smile,   I  admit,   but  it 
requires  exceptional  charm  to  make  a  smile  distinctly 
visible  at  —  how  far  did  you  say  ?  —  two  miles  ?  " 

The  lady  in  question  was  certainly  bending  towards 
Mr.  Fenshawe,  and  the  smile  was  a  reasonable  con- 
jecture. But  they  had  tacitly  agreed  to  forget  their 
earlier  conversation.  They  chatted  freely  now  with 
the  friendly  ease  that  was  their  wont  ever  since  the 
exigencies  of  camp  life  had  thrown  them  together  far 
more  than  was  possible  on  board  ship.  Five  weeks 
ago  the  Aphrodite  dropped  anchor  off  Pajura  after 
crossing  from  Aden,  where  Mr.  Fenshawe  had  de- 
spatched his  cablegrams  and  obtained  a  portion  of  the 
equipment  needed  for  the  desert  tour.  The  arrival  of 
such  a  large  party  occasioned  no  little  excitement  at  the 
French  port.  That  tiny  station  had  not  seen  so  many 
white  faces  at  one  time  since  its  establishment,  and, 
when  its  polite  Commandant  recovered  from  his  voluble 
surprise,  he  warned  Mr.  Fenshawe  that  the  interior  was 
somewhat  unsafe.  But  stories  of  Arab  unrest  were 
familiar  to  the  veteran.  He  had  heard  them  regularly 
during  the  preceding  thirty  years,  and  he  was  more 
than  ever  bent  on  outwitting  the  jealous  rivals  who 
had  placed  such  obstacles  in  his  path. 

The  French  officers  at  Pajura  thought  he  was  rather 
235 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

cracked  to  take  ladies  with  him,  yet  they  were  obliged 
to  admit  that  desert  travel  was  healthy  and  enjoyable, 
provided  supplies  were  ample,  and,  on  this  score,  the 
skilled  explorer  of  Soudan  by-ways  showed  that  he  had 
lost  none  of  his  cunning.  Before  the  caravan  started 
news  came  from  Aden  that  the  Cigno  had  been  dragged 
off  her  sandspit.  This  gave  an  added  value  to  the 
land  route,  as  the  coast  of  Erythrea  was  assuredly 
closed  to  them;  the  French  authorities,  on  the  other 
hand,  rendered  every  assistance  in  their  power. 

And  now,  after  a  month  of  steady  marching,  the 
caravan  was  well  within  Italian  territory.  The  route 
lay  parallel  with  the  sea,  but  nearly  a  hundred  miles 
distant  from  it.  It  traversed  the  interminable  wadys 
and  shelving  table-lands  leading  down  to  the  coast 
from  the  granite  and  pink  Nubian  stone  foothills  of 
the  inner  range  of  giants  which  guarded  the  fertile 
valleys  of  Abyssinia.  Thus  far,  no  unexpected  difficul- 
ties had  cropped  up.  The  few  nomads  encountered 
were  only  too  anxious  to  be  friendly.  The  weather, 
scorching  by  day  and  intensely  cold  by  night,  was 
quite  bearable.  Indeed,  to  any  one  in  good  health,  it 
supplied  a  marvelous  tonic.  Travelers  less  admirably 
equipped  might  have  suffered  annoyance  from  the 
snakes  and  scorpions  which  seem  to  thrive  in  the 
midst  of  sunburnt  desolation,  but  these  voyageurs  de 
luxe  slept  in  hammocks  slung  in  roomy  tents,  and 
assiduous  servants  dislodged  every  stone  before  they 
spread  the  felt  carpets  on  which  the  heaven-born 
deigned  to  sit  at  meals. 

236 


The  Sign  in  the  Sky 

Yet  —  as  Irene  had  guessed  correctly  —  this  mag- 
nificent progress  through  the  desert  contained  a  canker 
that  threatened  its  destruction.  Either  von  Kerber's 
calculations  were  at  fault,  or  the  papyrus  was  a  mad- 
man's screed.  The  caravan  was  already  two  marches 
beyond  the  point  agreed  on  by  every  authority  con- 
sulted as  that  fixed  by  the  Greek  who  survived  the 
massacre  of  the  Roman  legion.  The  unhappy  Austrian 
could  no  more  identify  the  Five  Hills  mentioned  in  the 
papyrus  as  the  essential  clue  to  the  whereabouts  of  the 
treasure  than  a  man  in  an  unknown  forest  can  dis- 
tinguish a  special  group  of  five  trees.  That  is  to  say, 
he  may  blunder  on  them  by  chance,  but  he  cannot 
find  them  by  using  his  judgment.  As  Irene  put  it, 
here  were  not  five,  but  five  thousand  hills.  The  mortal 
puzzle  before  von  Kerber  was  to  pick  his  five. 

When  the  caravan  arrived  at  the  halting-place  the 
tense  solitude  gave  way  to  pandemonium.  Camels 
grunted  and  squealed  in  eager  plaint  to  be  relieved  of 
their  loads,  horses  neighed  and  fought  for  the  best 
tufts  of  grass,  men  raged  at  each  other  as  though  the 
work  of  preparing  the  camp  were  something  new  and 
wholly  unexpected. 

Through  the  turmoil  strode  Abdur  Kad'r,  a  lean, 
saturnine  Arab,  who  anathematized  all  his  assistants 
indiscriminately,  only  varying  his  epithets  according 
to  the  nationality  of  the  man  under  the  lash  of  his 
tongue  at  the  moment. 

"Bestir  yourself,  illegitimate  one.  Are  we  to  await 
the  setting  sun  ere  the  tents  are  fixed  ? "  he  shouted  at 

237 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

a  negro  who  was  bothered  by  a  knotted  rope.  A  crash 
behind  him  told  that  a  too-zealous  Arab  had  tumbled 
a  box  to  the  ground. 

"  Oh,  you  owl,  what  evil  have  you  done  ?  "  roared  the 
Sheikh,  transfixing  the  culprit  with  a  glittering  eye. 

"Lo,  I  loosened  a  strap,  honored  one,  and  the 
accursed  thing  fell,"  was  the  explanation. 

"It  fell,  eh?  So  shall  my  whip  fall,  Sidi  Hassan,  if 
thou  art  not  more  painstaking."  He  rushed  towards 
a  group  of  Somali  syces. 

"Pigs,  and  children  of  pigs,"  he  cried,  "for  what 
does  the  Effendi  pay  ye?  Is  there  not  occupation,  ye 
black  dogs  ?  May  your  fathers'  graves  be  defiled  by 
curs ! " 

Stump,  whose  rubicund  visage  was  burnt  brick-red 
by  the  desert,  took  a  keen  interest  in  Abdur  Kad'r's 
daily  outpourings.  He  had  no  Arabic,  but  he  appre- 
icated  the  speaker's  fluency. 

"He'd  make  a  bully  good  bo's'n,"  was  his  favorite 
comment,  and  he  would  add  sorrowfully,  "I  wish  I 
knew  wot  he  was  sayin'.  It  'ud  do  me  a  treat." 

In  an  astonishingly  short  space  of  time  the  camp 
would  be  in  form,  fires  lit  with  parched  shrubs  gathered 
during  the  last  stage  of  the  journey,  a  meal  cooked, 
and  every  one  settled  down  to  rest  until  sunset,  when, 
if  there  was  no  evening  march,  the  Arabs  and  negroes 
would  sing,  and  perhaps  indulge  in  amazingly  realistic 
sword-play,  while  the  dozen  sailors  brought  from  the 
yacht  would  watch  the  combatants  or  engage  in  a 
sing-song  on  their  own  account. 

238 


The  Sign  in  the  Sky 

The  present  encampment  offered  no  exception  to 
the  general  rule.  Abdur  Kad'r,  it  is  true,  may  have 
raged  a  little  more  extensively  than  usual  when  it  was 
discovered  that  the  well  had  caved  in  from  sheer  disuse, 
and  several  hours'  labor  would  be  necessary  before 
some  brackish  water  could  be  obtained.  He  did  not 
trouble  the  Effendi  with  this  detail,  however.  There 
was  another  more  pressing  matter  to  be  dealt  with, 
but,  Allah  be  praised,  that  might  wait  till  a  less  occupied 
hour,  for  the  Frank  was  in  no  hurry,  and  he  paid  like 
a  Kaliph. 

About  four  o'clock  Irene  was  sitting  in  her  tent 
making  some  belated  jottings  in  a  diary.  Being  thirsty, 
she  called  a  servant,,  and  told  him  to  bring  a  bottle  of 
soda-water.  A  few  minutes  later  she  heard  a  stumble, 
a  crash,  and  a  loud  exclamation  in  Arabic.  The  man 
had  fallen  over  one  of  the  heavy  stones  to  which  the 
guy-ropes  were  fastened. 

She  looked  up  smilingly,  and  wondered  whether  he 
would  understand  her  if  she  said  in  French  that  she 
hoped  he  had  not  injured  himself.  The  glass  was 
broken,  but  the  bottle  was  intact,  for  the  native  had 
caught  it  as  he  fell. 

"£a  ne  fait  rien,"  she  cried  encouragingly.  Then 
she  found  that  the  Somali  had  risen  to  his  knees,  and 
was  gazing  skyward  with  every  token  of  abject  terror. 
At  the  same  instant  a  strange  commotion  broke  out  in 
the  camp.  Through  the  open  side  of  the  tent  she  saw 
Europeans  and  natives  all  looking  in  the  one  direction 
—  northwards.  The  Britons  and  Arabs  had  an  air  of 

239 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

profound  astonishment.  They  pointed  and  gesticu- 
lated, but  otherwise  showed  self-control.  But  the 
negroes  were  in  a  panic.  For  the  most  part  they  were 
kneeling.  A  few  prostrated  themselves  at  full  length, 
and  howled  dolorously. 

The  girl  was  alone,  and  she  naturally  felt  alarmed. 
Royson  was  not  far  away,  and  he,  like  the  rest,  was 
held  spellbound  by  some  spectacle  the  nature  of  which 
she  could  not  guess.  Perhaps  his  thoughts  were  not 
far  removed  from  Irene,  because  he  turned  and  looked 
at  her. 

"  Come  quickly,  Miss  Fenshawe,"  he  shouted.  "  Here 
is  the  most  wonderful  mirage!" 

Was  that  it  —  a  mirage  ?  Why,  then,  this  hubbub  ? 
She  had  grown  so  accustomed  to  the  grim  humor  of 
the  desert  in  depicting  clear  streams  of  running  water, 
smooth,  tree-bordered  lakes,  and  other  delightful  objects 
of  which  the  arid  land  dreamed  in  its  sleep  of  death, 
that  the  excitement  caused  in  the  camp  was  wholly 
inexplicable. 

"What  are  you  doing  there?"  she  cried  sharply  to 
the  frightened  servant.  "Go  and  get  another  glass, 
and  take  care  you  do  not  fall  next  time." 

If  he  heard  he  paid  no  heed.  He  continued  to  stare 
at  the  sky  with  wide-open  eyes. 

Conscious  of  a  fresh  thrill  of  fear,  she  ran  towards 
Royson. 

"What  in  the  world— " 

Then  she  saw,  and  was  stricken  dumb  with  the  sight, 
for  she  was  looking  at  a  spectacle  which  the  desert 

240 


The  Sign  in  the  Sky 

seldom  provides  even  to  those  who  pass  their  lives 
within  its  bounds.  A  thin  haze  had  taken  the  place  of 
the  remarkable  clearness  of  the  morning  hours.  Away 
to  the  north  it  had  deepened  almost  into  a  fog,  a  low- 
lying  and  luminous  mist  like  the  white  pall  which 
often  shrouds  the  sea  on  a  calm  bright  day  in  summer. 
The  sky  was  losing  its  burnished  copper  hue  and 
becoming  blue  again,  and,  on  the  false  horizon  supplied 
by  the  crest  of  the  fog-bank,  stood  a  brilliantly  vivid 
panorama. 

There  were  military  tents,  lines  of  picketed  camels 
and  horses,  a  great  number  of  Arabs  and  blacks,  and 
some  fifty  Italian  soldiers,  all  magnified  to  gigantic 
proportions,  but  so  clearly  defined  that  the  trappings 
of  the  animals,  the  military  uniforms,  and  the  gay- 
colored  burnous  of  the  Arabs  were  readily  distinguish- 
able. 

It  could  be  seen,  too,  that  they  were  working. 
Mounds  of  rock  and  earth  showed  that  considerable 
excavations  had  been  made.  While  those  gathered 
round  the  well  were  yet  gazing  at  this  bewildering  and 
lifelike  picture,  the  moving  ghosts  in  the  sky  under- 
went a  change  which  enhanced  their  realism.  One 
squad  of  soldiers  and  natives  marched  off  towards  the 
tents  while  another  took  their  places.  Were  it  not  for 
the  grotesque  size  of  men  and  animals  and  the  eerie 
silence  of  their  movements  it  was  hard  to  believe  that 
the  eyes  were  not  witnessing  actualities.  The  thing 
was  fantastic,  awe-inspiring,  stupendous  in  design,  but 
faultlessly  true  in  color  and  treatment.  No  artist  could 

241 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

ever  hope  for  such  a  canvas.  Its  texture  was  vapor, 
its  background  the  empyrean,  and  nature's  own  palette 
supplied  the  colors. 

And  this  cloud  scene  was  pitiless  in  its  moral.  Two 
of  the  onlookers,  Mrs.  Haxton  and  von  Kerber,  knew 
exactly  what  it  meant,  while  others  read  its  message 
correctly  enough.  The  expedition  was  forestalled. 
The  long  voyage  and  longer  march,  the  vast  expenditure, 
the  hardships  inseparable  from  the  journey  through 
the  desert,  the  hopes,  the  fears,  all  the  planning  and 
contriving,  went  for  nothing,  since  Alfieri  the  dreamer, 
Alfieri  the  fool,  had  apparently  succeeded  in  locating 
the  treasure  of  Sheba. 


242 


CHAPTER  XIV 

WHEREIN  A  BISHARIN  CAMEL  BECOMES  USEFUL 

To  the  Arab  every  white  man  is  a  Frank.  The 
European  invader  was  given  that  name  during  the 
First  Crusade,  and  the  Paynim  does  not  change  appre- 
ciably with  the  centuries.  But  he  has  learnt  to  differ- 
entiate between  certain  varieties  of  Frank,  and  Abdur 
Kad'r  murmured  maledictions  on  the  Italian  species 
as  he  watched  the  mirage  slowly  fading  into  nothing- 
ness. Though  no  one  had  told  him  the  ultimate 
objective  of  the  caravan,  he  felt  that  the  presence  of 
Italian  soldiers  at  the  nearest  stopping-place  put  a  bar 
to  further  progress.  The  mere  fact  that  the  kafila 
came  from  French  territory  was  unanswerable  There 
were  difficulties  enough  already,  difficulties  which  must 
be  discussed  that  evening,  but  this  obstacle  was  wholly 
unforeseen. 

Under  his  bent  brows  the  gaunt  sheikh  had  noted 
Mr.  Fenshawe's  manner  when  he  turned  excitedly  to 
demand  an  explanation  from  von  Kerber.  The 
Effendi's  change  of  tone  told  its  own  tale.  Abdur 
Kad'r,  true  believer  and  desert-born,  remarked  to  a 
brother  Arab  that  Allah  was  Allah  and  Mahomet  was 
undoubtedly  the  Prophet,  but  that  of  all  the  misbe- 

243 


gotten  produce  of  swine  now  cumbering  the  earth  the 
Italians  ranked  easily  first  —  or  words  to  that  effect. 
Then  he  relieved  his  feelings  by  objurgating  the  panic- 
stricken  Somalis,  whose  superstitious  minds  interpreted 
the  appearance  of  the  air-borne  host  as  a  sure  indication 
of  war.  He  was  in  the  midst  of  an  eloquent  outburst 
when  his  employer  summoned  him. 

"  How  far  is  it  to  the  next  oasis  ?  "  came  the  dreaded 
query. 

Abdur  Kad'r,  shrewd  judge  of  men,  knew  that  he 
must  be  explicit. 

"Sixty  kilometers,  honored  one,"  he  replied. 

"  What !    Nearly  forty  English  miles  ?  " 

"It  may  be  so,  Effendi.  In  our  reckoning  it  is 
twenty  kos,  and  one  kos  is  three  kilometers." 

"  But  these  Italians  —  in  the  mirage  —  they  must  be 
camped  near  water  ?  "* 

"There  is  none  nearer  than  the  Well  of  Suleiman, 
Effendi." 

"Is  it  possible  that  a  mirage  would  reveal  so  clearly 
a  scene  taking  place  at  such  a  distance?" 

"Strange  things  happen  in  the  desert,  Effendi.  I 
have  seen  a  village  in  the  sky  which  my  camels  were 
four  hours  in  reaching,  and  I  have  been  told  of  sights 
even  more  wonderful." 

"  You  are  sure  about  the  sixty  kilometers  ?  " 

"Quite  sure,  O  worthy  of  honor." 

Mr.  Fenshawe  was  skeptical.  Mirage-phenomena 
were  familiar  to  him,  but  never  had  they  dealt  with 
natural  objects  beyond  a  range  of  a  few  miles.  For 

244 


Wherein   a   Bisharin   Camel   becomes    Useful 

the  most  part,  the  mirage  of  the  desert  is  a  baseless 
illusion,  depending  on  the  bending  of  light-rays  by  air 
strata  of  differing  densities.  The  rarer  "looming," 
witnessed  occasionally  in  more  northerly  latitudes, 
shows  scenes  actually  in  existence,  and  the  best  authen- 
ticated instance  of  a  long-range  view  is  that  testified 
to  by  the  inhabitants  of  Hastings,  who  during  three 
hours  on  July  26,  1798,  saw  the  whole  coastline  of 
France,  from  Calais  to  Dieppe,  with  a  distinctness  that 
was  then  regarded  as  miraculous. 

But,  whether  Abdur  Kad'r's  figures  were  correct  or 
not,  there  was  no  gainsaying  the  evidence  of  the  mirage 
itself.  The  collapse  of  the  undertaking  was  imminent, 
and  the  millionaire's  tone  was  exceedingly  curt  when  he 
called  von  Kerber  to  conference. 

"There  are  certain  matters  which  must  be  cleared 
up,  now  that  nature  has  assumed  the  role  of  guide," 
he  said  dryly.  "  I  have  been  well  aware  during  the 
past  few  days  that  you  were  not  able  to  fix  on  the  exact 
place  described  in  the  papyrus.  I  could  pardon  that. 
We  are  in  a  country  where  landmarks  are  bewilderingly 
alike,  and  therefore  apt  to  cause  confusion.  But  how 
comes  it  that  our  rivals  can  go  straight  to  the  place 
we  are  in  search  of,  while  we  wander  blindly  in  the 
desert  ?  You  assured  me  that  yours  was  the  only  copy 
of  the  papyrus  extant  with  the  sole  exception  of  the 
photographic  reproductions  supplied  to  me.  Is  that 
true  ?  And,  if  it  is  true,  who  gave  these  others  the  in- 
formation that  has  brought  about  our  failure?" 

Mr.  Fenshawe's  pride  was  wounded.  All  the  wrath 
245 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

of  the  disappointed  connoisseur  welled  forth  in  his 
contemptuous  words.  Their  very  calmness  and  pre- 
cision showed  the  depth  of  his  anger,  and  von  Kerber, 
like  Abdur  Kad'r,  felt  that  the  time  for  specious  pre- 
text had  gone.  So  he  answered,  with  equal  exactness 
of  phrase: 

"  I  gave  you  that  assurance  months  ago  in  Scotland, 
and  repeated  it  in  London,  but  I  have  not  said  it  since 
we  met  on  board  the  yacht,  for  the  very  good  reason 
that  the  papyrus  was  stolen  from  me  at  Marseilles." 

"Stolen!" 

"  Yes,  I  was  waylaid  and  robbed  while  driving  from 
the  station  to  the  harbor." 

"  Purposely,  do  you  mean  ?  Was  the  papyrus  the 
object  of  the  attack?" 

"Yes." 

"Then  this  man,  Alfieri,  knew  of  it?" 

"  I  have  never  concealed  that  from  you." 

"It  is  hard  to  say  what  you  have  or  have  not  con- 
cealed, Baron  von  Kerber.  My  confidence  in  you  is 
shaken.  How  am  I  to  know  that  this  latest  version 
of  Alfieri's  amazing  interference  in  your  affairs  is  the 
true  one?" 

No  man  is  so  sensitive  of  his  honor  as  he  who  is  con- 
scious of  by-gone  lapses.  Von  Kerber  started  as  though 
the  other  had  stabbed  him. 

"  That  is  an  unworthy  imputation,"  he  cried.  "  Mr. 
Royson  can  tell  you  that  the  papyrus  was  stolen.  He 
rescued  me  from  my  assailants,  yes  ?  Mrs.  Haxton  is 
aware  of  it,  and,  unless  I  am  mistaken,  Miss  Fenshawe 

246 


Wherein   a   Bisharin   Camel   becomes    Useful 

also  is  no  stranger  to  the  news,  seeing  that  our  second 
mate  is  so  greatly  in  her  confidence." 

The  older  man,  still  watching  the  last  wraiths  of  the 
mirage,  seemed  to  be  deaf  to  the  Austrian's  biting 
allusion  to  Irene. 

"  I  did  not  look  for  such  a  web  of  deceit,"  he  mur- 
mured. "The  papyrus  was  genuine,  and  I  sought  no 
other  proof  of  honesty.  You  say  Mrs.  Haxton  and  my 
granddaughter  are  in  this  pact  of  silence.  Let  us  have 
their  testimony." 

Irene,  as  might  be  expected,  indignantly  disclaimed 
any  sympathy  with  von  Kerber's  methods. 

"  I  heard,  by  chance,  of  the  part  Mr.  Royson  took  in 
the  affair  at  Marseilles,"  she  said.  "My  maid  told 
me.  It  was  the  gossip  of  the  ship.  Yet,  when  I 
questioned  Mr.  Royson  himself,  he  refused  to  discuss 
the  matter,  owing  to  some  pledge  of  secrecy  drawn 
from  him  by  Baron  von  Kerber.  You  forget,  grandad, 
how  often  you  have  told  me  that  I  did  not  understand 
this  undertaking  sufficiently  to  justify  my  hostility  to  it. 
I  have  never  believed  in  it,  not  for  one  moment.  If 
you  wish  to  know  what  happened  at  Marseilles,  why 
not  ask  Mr.  Royson  himself?" 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Fenshawe  quietly,  "that  will  be 
well.  Send  for  him,  Irene." 

It  was  noteworthy  that  he  addressed  no  question  to 
Mrs.  Haxton.  That  lady,  nervous  and  ill-at-ease, 
could  not  guess  how  far  the  rupture  between  von  Ker- 
ber and  his  patron  had  gone.  She  felt  intuitively  that 
the  Austrian  was  puzzled,  perhaps  alarmed,  by  the 

247 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

presence  of  an  official  expedition  in  the  very  territory 
he  had  hoped  to  explore  without  hindrance  —  yet  his 
manner  hinted  at  something  in  reserve.  Though  he 
quivered  under  Irene's  outspoken  incredulity,  his 
aspect  was  that  of  a  man  whose  schemes  have  been 
foiled  by  sheer  ill-luck.  A  rogue  unmasked  will  grovel : 
von  Kerber  was  defiant.  For  the  moment,  Mrs.  Hax- 
ton  was  struck  dumb  with  foreboding.  Mr.  Fen- 
shawe's  dejected  air  showed  that  a  deadly  blow  had 
been  dealt  to  the  project  to  which  she  had  devoted  all 
her  resources  since  the  beginning  of  the  march.  She, 
too,  had  begun  to  doubt.  Here,  in  the  desert,  the 
buried  treasure  was  an  intangible  thing.  In  England, 
the  promises  of  the  Greek's  dying  message  were  satisfy- 
ing by  their  very  vagueness.  In  Africa,  face  to  face 
with  the  tremendous  solitude,  they  became  unbeliev- 
able, a  dim  fable  akin  to  the  legends  of  vanished  islands 
and  those  mysterious  races  to  be  found  only  in  un- 
known lands,  which  have  tickled  the  imaginations  of 
mankind  ever  since  the  dawn  of  human  intelligence. 
So,  a  live  millionaire  being  a  more  definite  asset  than 
the  hoard  of  a  forgotten  city,  she  had  coolly  informed 
von  Kerber  that  if  he  wished  to  improve  his  fortunes, 
he  would  do  well  to  pay  attention  to  Miss  Fenshawe, 
and  leave  her  free  to  win  a  wealthy  husband.  It  was 
a  villainous  pact,  but  it  might  have  succeeded,  at  any 
rate  in  Mrs.  Haxton's  case,  for  no  woman  could  be 
more  gracious  and  deferentially  flattering  than  she 
when  she  chose  to  exert  herself.  And  now,  reality 
seemed  to  yield  to  unreality.  The  substantial  fabric 

248 


Wherein   a   Bisharin   Camel   becomes    Useful 

of  close  friendship  between  Fenshawe  and  herself  had 
crumbled  before  the  fiery  breath  of  the  wilderness. 
What  a  turn  of  fortune's  wheel!  Here  were  all  her 
plans  shattered  in  an  instant,  and  the  man  on 
whom  depended  the  future  changed  into  a  hostile 
judge. 

Royson  found  a  queer  conclave  awaiting  him. 
Irene,  distressed  by  the  injustice  of  her  grandfather's 
suspicion  that  she  was  sharing  in  a  conspiracy  of 
silence,  had  retired  to  a  corner  of  the  tent,  and  wore 
an  air  of  indifference  which  she  certainly  did  not  feel. 
Mrs.  Haxton,  pallid,  striving  desperately  to  regain 
her  self-possession,  draped  herself  artistically  in  a 
comfortable  camp  chair.  Von  Kerber,  scowling  and 
depressed,  stood  near  the  entrance,  and  Mr.  Fenshawe 
was  seated  in  the  center  of  the  tent.  The  red  light 
of  the  declining  sun  was  full  on  his  face,  and  Dick 
fancied  that  he  had  aged  suddenly.  Nor  was  this  to 
be  wondered  at.  No  enthusiast,  not  even  a  wealthy 
one,  likes  to  have  his  hopes  of  realizing  a  great  achieve- 
ment dashed  to  the  ground,  nor  is  it  altogether  gratify- 
ing that  a  woman  who  has  won  one's  high  esteem 
should  be  associated  with  a  piece  of  contemptible 
trickery. 

Mr.  Fenshawe's  first  question  told  Dick  that  a  serious 
dispute  was  toward. 

"It  has  been  stated,"  said  Mr.  Fenshawe,  looking 
at  him  in  a  curiously  critical  way,  "that  a  valuable 
document  was  stolen  from  Baron  von  Kerber  at  Mar- 
seilles —  what  do  you  know  about  it  ?  " 

249 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Dick,  hourly  expecting  a  strenuous  turn  to  the  placid 
marching  and  camping  of  the  past  few  weeks,  was  not 
taken  unaware.  He  had  mapped  out  a  clear  line,  and 
meant  to  follow  it. 

"  I  regret  to  say  that  I  cannot  answer  you,  Mr.  Fen- 
shawe,"  said  he,  meeting  the  older  man's  searching 
glance  unflinchingly. 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  I  gave  an  undertaking  to  that  effect  to 
Baron  von  Kerber." 

"But  I  am  your  employer,  not  he." 

"No,  sir.  That  is  not  my  view  of  the  contract  I 
signed." 

"  Have  you  a  copy  of  that  contract  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Will  you  show  it  to  me  ?  " 

"That  is  unnecessary,"  broke  in  von  Kerber,  with 
a  savage  impatience  of  the  quasi-judicial  inquiry 
which  Mr.  Fenshawe  was  evidently  bent  on  conduct- 
ing. "  I  give  Mr.  Royson  full  permission  to  answer 
any  question  you  may  put  to  him." 

"  You  do,  eh  ?  You  give  permission  ?  Do  you  pay 
his  salary?"  demanded  the  millionaire  indignantly. 

"Yes,  on  your  behalf.  Surely  the  arrangement 
between  us  cannot  be  disputed.  I  was  to  make  all 
arrangements,  yes  ?  " 

"As  my  paid  agent,  you  should  add." 

Mrs.  Haxton  suddenly  sat  forward  in  her  chair. 

"  We  had  a  tacit  agreement  for  an  equal  division  of 
the  spoil,"  she  interposed,  with  an  acidity  that  Mr. 

250 


Wherein   a  Bisharin   Camel   becomes    Useful 

Fenshawe  probably  found  in  marked  contrast  with 
her  usual  honeyed  speech. 

"That  agreement  would  have  been  kept  by  me," 
said  Fenshawe.  "You  may  not  be  aware  that  Baron 
von  Kerber  pleaded  poverty,  and  I  promised  to  re- 
munerate him  for  his  services,  whether  we  won  or  lost. 
I  have  no  doubt  he  has  my  letter,  duly  stamped  at 
Somerset  House,  carefully  packed  away  with  Mr. 
Roy  son's  agreement." 

The  retort  was  in  the  nature  of  the  tac-au-tac  riposte 
beloved  of  the  skilled  swordsman.  It  was  succeeded 
by  a  tense  silence.  Mrs.  Haxton  glared  at  the  Baron. 
The  ghost  of  a  smile  flickered  on  Irene's  lips  as  she 
glanced  at  Dick.  Von  Kerber  swished  one  of  his 
boots  viciously  with  a  riding-whip.  He  found  he  must 
say  something. 

"  Why  are  we  creating  difficulties  where  none  exist  ?  " 
he  snarled.  "If  the  agreement  stands  in  the  way,  I 
absolve  Mr.  Royson  from  any  promise  he  has  made. 
I  wanted  to  guard  against  treachery,  not  to  tie  him 
down  to  serve  me  exclusively." 

"  You  asked  for  obedience  and  a  still  tongue,  Baron. 
I  have  given  you  both,"  said  Dick. 

"  There  is  your  employer,  and  mine  —  speak." 

Von  Kerber  could  not  be  other  than  dramatic.  He 
pointed  to  Mr.  Fenshawe  with  a  fine  gesture. 

"I  have  not  much  to  say,  unless  in  the  form  of 
opinions.  You  certainly  were  attacked  at  Marseilles, 
and  you  yourself  charged  one  of  your  assailants  with 
stealing  the  papyrus.  Beyond  that,  I  know  little  of 

251 


The  Wheel  o"  Fortune 

your  business,  though,  from  letters  and  cablegrams 
which  reached  me  at  various  places,  it  seems  to  have 
been  quite  extensively  known  in  London." 

"Who  was  your  informant?"  asked  Fenshawe. 

"A  solicitor,  named  Forbes.  He  is  not  personally 
acquainted  with  Baron  von  Kerber,  but  this  man 
Alfieri,  of  whom  we  have  heard  so  much,  employed 
private  detectives.  They,  in  the  course  of  events,  dis- 
covered my  identity,  and  met  Mr.  Forbes.  It  is  only 
fair  to  Baron  von  Kerber  to  say  that  I  have  never  heard 
his  version  of  the  charge  brought  against  him  by 
Alfieri." 

"I  have,"  said  the  millionaire,  grimly. 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  inference  to  be  drawn 
from  his  words.  Von  Kerber  was  wholly  discredited. 
It  was  exceedingly  probable  that  the  first  march  of  the 
return  journey  to  Pajura  would  be  ordered  forthwith. 
Indeed,  Fenshawe  rose  to  his  feet,  meaning  to  bid 
Abdur  Kad'r  prepare  to  strike  camp  after  the  evening 
meal,  when  Mrs.  Haxton,  divining  his  intent,  cried 
shrilly : 

"May  I  ask  what  new  circumstance  has  brought 
about  this  remarkable  change  in  your  plans,  Mr. 
Fenshawe  ?  It  is  true  that  we  have  been  favored  by  an 
extraordinary  vision  of  an  Italian  expedition  at  no 
great  distance  from  our  own,  but  what  proof  have  we 
that  it  is  successful,  or  even  engaged  on  an  errand 
similar  to  ours?" 

"The  mere  fact  that  extensive  research  is  being 
carried  on  is  sufficiently  convincing.  Italian  soldiers 

252 


Wherein   a   Bisharin   Camel   becomes    Useful 

and  Arabs  do  not  form  huge  earthworks  in  the  desert 
for  amusement,"  said  Fenshawe. 

"They  may  be  trying  a  last  desperate  chance,"  she 
retorted. 

"You  forget  that  they  have  the  same  information 
as  ourselves.  There  is  no  trouble  in  deciphering 
demotic  Greek  and  the  hieroglyph  minerals  are  quite 
simple.  Once  the  papyrus  left  Baron  von  Kerber's 
possession,  our  exclusive  right  to  it  vanished,  and  you 
can  hardly  expect  me  to  engage  in  an  armed  attack 
on  the  military  forces  of  a  friendly  nation." 

"So  far  as  the  papyrus  goes,  it  is  utterly  useless  to 
any  one,"  broke  in  von  Kerber  suddenly. 

Mr.  Fenshawe  was  stirred  out  of  his  studied  calm 
by  the  seeming  absurdity  of  the  interruption. 

"Useless!"  he  exclaimed,  and  his  brow  seamed 
with  anger,  "that  is  a  strange  word  to  apply  to  the 
only  evidence  of  your  story  that  you  have  ever 
produced." 

"I  always  feared  Alfieri,"  said  the  other,  throwing 
his  hands  out  as  if  he  were  pushing  away  a  threatening 
phantom.  "  He  was  spiteful,  and  jealous,  and  he  knew 
enough  to  drive  him  mad  with  desire.  But  I  would 
allow  no  one  to  interfere  with  me,  yes  ?  When  I  was 
sure  of  my  ground,  when  I  had  secured  translations 
of  each  piece  of  the  papyrus,  I  altered  it." 

"Altered  it!" 

Incredulity  and  hope  were  oddly  mixed  in  the  cry 
which  came  simultaneously  from  the  lips  of  two  of  his 
hearers.  Even  Irene  and  Dick,  less  wrapped  up  in 

253 


the  dream  of  finding  the  Sabeean  hoard,  awaited  von 
Kerber's  next  utterance  with  bated  breath.  The 
man  was  too  unnerved  to  feel  any  triumph  at  the  sen- 
sation he  had  created. 

"Yes,"  he  said,'  sinking  wearily  into  a  chair,  though 
his  voice  almost  cracked  with  excitement.  "  I  changed 
the  distances  in  every  instance  permitted  by  the  text. 
As  it  stands  now,  the  papyrus  is  utterly  worthless. 
I  acted  for  the  best,  yes?  A  secret  known  to  more 
than  one  ceases  to  be  a  secret.  But  I  am  tired  of 
pretense,  and  you  shall  have  the  truth,  though  it  car- 
ries with  it  a  confession  of  ghastly  failure.  I  do  not 
know  what  good  fortune  Alfieri  has  blundered  into 
at  Suleiman's  Well,  and  I  admit  that  the  place  offered 
my  own  last  chance.  Yet,  if  he  has  found  the  treasure, 
it  was  not  because  of  the  papyrus,  but  despite  it. 
Here  are  photographs  of  every  section  in  their  present 
form,"  and  he  produced  some  prints  from  a  pocket- 
book. 

"You  were  taught  some  Greek  at  school,  Mr.  Roy- 
son?  Very  well.  Look  at  the  passages  which  are 
faintly  underlined,  and  you  will  see  where  I  have 
altered  whole  phrases,  converted  tens  of  miles  into 
hundreds,  and  hundreds  of  paces  into  thousands. 
And  that  is  the  document  which  Alfieri  obtained  at 
Marseilles.  He  would  recognize  it  as  the  original, 
though  it  is  now  quite  misleading.  If  he  is  digging  at 
the  right  place  by  reason  of  the  directions  given  there, 
it  is  something  beyond  belief,  yes?" 

"You  speak  of  Alfieri  recognizing  the  papyrus. 
254 


Wherein   a   Bisharin   Camel   becomes    Useful 

Evidently,  then,  he  had  seen  it  earlier.  In  what 
manner  was  he  connected  with  its  discovery?" 

Mr.  Fenshawe's  coldly  direct  question  came  in 
sharp  contrast  with  the  Austrian's  impassioned  out- 
burst. Von  Kerber  did  not  reply.  With  his  elbows 
resting  on  his  knees,  and  supporting  his  chin  between 
clenched  fists,  he  looked  through  the  open  door  of  the 
tent  with  eyes  that  stared  into  vacancy.  The  man 
was  in  a  frenzy  of  despair.  He  saw  the  chance  of  his 
life  slipping  away  from  him,  but  he  could  urge  no  plea 
in  his  own  behalf.  It  was  Mrs.  Haxton  who  answered, 
and  her  composure  was  oddly  at  variance  with  von 
Kerber's  distress. 

"  Alfieri  was  assistant  curator  of  a  museum  at  Naples 
when  the  Italian  occupation  of  Erythrea  led  to  his 
appointment  as  government  archeologist  in  this  terri- 
tory," she  said.  "My  husband  was  in  charge  of  the 
Red  Sea  cable  at  that  time,  and  Signer  Giuseppe 
Alfieri  was  a  friend  of  ours.  An  Arab  named  Abdullah 
El  Jaridiah,  grubbing  among  old  tombs  for  curios, 
came  across  a  roll  of  papyri.  He  sold  it  to  Alfieri  for 
a  few  francs,  and  Alfieri  gave  it  to  my  husband." 

She  paused;  she  was  not  a  woman  who  said  too 
much. 

"I  take  it  that  Alfieri  knew  no  Greek?"  said  Mr. 
Fenshawe,  with  a  touch  of  irony  that  was  not  lost  on 
the  lady. 

"He  certainly  failed  to  appreciate  its  importance," 
was  the  quiet  response.  "My  husband  deciphered 
most  of  the  narrative,  but  he,  in  his  turn,  had  no 

255 


TJie  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

knowledge  of  hieroglyphics,  and,  as  you  are  aware, 
many  of  the  words  and  figures  are  contained  in  ovals, 
or  cartouches,  and  written  in  Egyptian  characters. 
He  would  have  learnt  their  meaning  from  some  other 
source,  but  he  —  died  —  very  suddenly.  An  accident 
caused  Alfieri  to  suspect  the  value  of  the  papyrus,  and 
he  asked  me  to  return  it.  Unfortunately,  I  led  him  to 
believe  that  I  would  meet  his  wish,  but  Baron  von 
Kerber,  who,  as  you  know,  was  medical  officer  to  a 
German  mission  to  King  Menelek,  came  to  my  assist- 
ance at  the  time,  and  I  told  him  of  my  husband's  views 
with  regard  to  the  portion  he  had  translated.  Baron 
von  Kerber  read  the  hieroglyphics,  though  he  had  to 
wait  nearly  a  year  before  he  could  obtain  expert  advice 
as  to  the  accuracy  of  his  rendering.  Meanwhile,  Signer 
Alfieri  and  I  had  quarreled.  I  may  as  well  tell  you  that 
he  was  pestering  me  to  marry  him,  and  I  grew  to  hate 
the  man.  Then  I  returned  to  England,  and  a  friend 
suggested  that  I  should  endeavor  to  interest  you.  Now 
you  have  the  whole  story,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned  in 
it." 

"If  that  is  so,  it  would  have  been  better  had  you 
taken  me  into  your  confidence  at  the  outset,"  said 
Fenshawe. 

"  Alfieri  was  using  threats.  I  feared  the  loss  of  your 
co-operation  if  a  melodramatic  element  were  intro- 
duced." 

"But  are  not  you  and  Baron  von  Kerber,  and,  as  it 
would  seem,  your  Italian  admirer  also,  attributing  an 
absurdly  fictitious  value  to  the  find  ?  People  do  not 

256 


Wherein   a   Bisharin   Camel   becomes    Useful 

pay  high  prices  for  old  coins  merely  because  they  are 
historic.  I  have  always  regarded  this  treasure-trove 
as  purely  antiquarian  in  its  interest.  It  may  contain 
some  vessels  or  statuettes  worth  money;  but  to  what 
extent?  Certainly  not  such  fabulous  sums  as  you 
appear  to  imagine." 

Mrs.  Haxton  smiled  sourly. 

"We  are  dealing  in  candor,"  she  cried.  "Pray 
complete  your  confession,  Baron  von  Kerber." 

The  Austrian  did  not  abandon  his  dejected  pose, 
but  he  took  up  the  parable  readily. 

"There  is  one  slip  of  papyrus  you  have  never  seen, 
Mr.  Fenshawe,"  he  said.  "Perhaps  you  have  been 
surprised  that  such  a  careful  scribe  as  Demetriades 
gave  no  details  of  the  loot  ?  I  kept  them  back.  There 
were  fifty  camel-loads  of  precious  vessels  and  rare 
stuffs  brought  from  the  East.  There  were  one  hundred 
and  twenty  camel-loads  of  gold  coins,  and  two  camels 
carried  leather  wallets  filled  with  pearls  and  rubies 
and  diamonds." 

Irene  could  not  restrain  a  little  gasp  of  wonderment 
at  von  Kerber's  amazing  catalogue.  Her  grandfather 
looked  at  her. 

"You  were  wiser  than  I,  little  girl,"  he  murmured. 
"  You  warned  me  that  these  people  were  deceiving  me, 
yet  I  refused  to  listen." 

"Oh,  one  has  to  follow  the  path  that  promises  suc- 
cess," interrupted  von  Kerber  savagely.  "Had  I  told 
you  these  things  you  would  have  been  the  first  to  in- 
form the  Italian  government.  Why  do  you  prate  of 

257 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

deceit?  Had  we  found  the  treasure,  you  must  have 
seen  everything.  I  only  meant  to  hold  you  to  your 
bond  and  demand  my  third  share.  Lieber  Gott!  if  you 
were  not  a  stiff-necked  Englishman  you  would  now, 
even  at  the  twelfth  hour,  force  these  Italian  hirelings 
to  disgorge." 

"Meaning  that  you  advise  a  surprise  march  on 
Suleiman's  Well,  and  the  massacre  of  every  person 
who  resists  us?"  inquired  Mr.  Fenshawe,  acidly  im- 
patient. 

"Better  that  than  turn  back  at  the  very  threshold." 

"Excellent!  The  voyage  of  the  Aphrodite  would 
then  achieve  an  international  fame  which  would  sur- 
vive the  ages." 

The  blank  despair  in  von  Kerber's  face  won  Roy  son's 
pity.  He  could  not  help  sympathizing  with  him.  And 
there  was  something  to  be  said  for  his  point  of  view. 
If  Mrs.  Haxton  had  given  the  true  version  of  the  find- 
ing of  the  papyrus,  the  Austrian's  methods  were  com- 
prehensible. Seldom  has  poverty  been  tempted  by  a 
vision  of  such  enormous  wealth. 

"May  I  make  a  suggestion,  sir?"  he  asked,  seeing 
that  no  one  was  willing  to  resume  a  somewhat  acrid 
conversation. 

"As  to  the  form  of  attack?" 

Mr.  Fenshawe  was  still  amused  by  the  idea  of  treat- 
ing the  Italians  to  a  coup  de  main. 

"No.  We  have  made  a  long  journey,  and  it  might 
at  least  be  determined  whether  or  not  it  was  justified. 
Will  you  allow  me  and  Abdur  Kad'r,  and,  perhaps, 

258 


Wherein   a   Bisharin   Camel   becomes    Useful 

one  other  Arab  less  widely  known  than  the  sheikh,  to 
try  a  small  experiment.  Let  us  endeavor  to  enter  the 
Italian  camp  and  find  out  what  is  going  on?  I  can 
pass  easily  as  a  member  of  a  shooting  party  who  has 
lost  his  way.  They  will  not  slay  me  at  sight  on  that 
account.  At  any  rate^  I  am  quite  prepared  to  risk  it." 

"The  very  thing!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Haxton,  spring- 
ing out  of  her  chair.  "Abdullah  is  there,  and  you 
know  him.  You  must  not  appear.  Let  Abdur  Kad'r 
send  one  of  his  men  into  the  camp  by  night.  He  will 
bring  Abdullah  to  you  at  a  preconcerted  rendezvous, 
and  Abdullah  will  tell  you  what  Alfieri  is  doing.  Better 
still,  let  Abdullah  come  here.  If  he  knows  I  sent 
you  he  will  accompany  you  without  a  moment's 
delay." 

"The  proper  person  to  go  and  summon  Abdullah 
is  Baron  von  Kerber,"  put  in  Irene  tremulously. 

"Before  I  sanction  any  proceeding  of  the  sort,  I 
wish  to  ask  why  Abdullah  is  apparently  in  league  with 
your  sworn  enemy  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Fenshawe. 

"The  Governor  of  Massowah  told  me  he  was  de- 
spatching an  expedition  to  the  Five  Hills,"  said  Mrs. 
Haxton  eagerly.  "  I  was  sure  it  would  fail,  for  reasons 
which  the  Baron  has  explained,  but  I  bade  Abdullah 
join  the  kafila,  seeing  that  we  could  not  carry  out  our 
first  plan  of  landing  lower  down  the  coast.  Then,  if 
the  Italian  party  received  news  of  our  whereabouts, 
Abdullah  would  steal  away  and  warn  us.  The  mere 
fact  that  he  is  not  here  now  shows  that  our  presence 
in  this  locality  is  altogether  unsuspected." 

259 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Fenshawe  seemed  to  weigh  his  words  before  he 
answered. 

"  I  prefer  that  Mr.  Royson  should  go,  and  not  Baron 
von  Kerber,"  said  he.  "On  the  understanding  that 
he  interferes  with  our  rivals  in  no  way  whatever,  I 
shall  be  glad  of  his  report.  If  we  have  failed,  there  is 
no  harm  in  knowing  the  facts.  May  I  ask,  Baron, 
have  you  any  other  surprises  to  give  us  in  the  shape 
of  history,  ancient  or  modern  ? " 

"I  have  nothing  else  to  say,"  muttered  the  other. 

"Then,  as  it  is  nearly  dinner-time,  I  trust  we  may 
forget  Saba  and  its  legends  until  we  learn  what  progress 
Signer  Alfieri  has  made.  You  start  to-night,  Mr. 
Royson?" 

"At  the  first  possible  moment,  sir." 

"No,  no.  Eat,  rest,  and  travel  under  the  stars. 
That  is  the  golden  rule  of  a  forced  march  in  the  desert 
We  will  give  you  two  nights  and  a  day.  Then,  if  you 
do  not  return,  I  shall  send  an  open  embassy  to  inquire 
for  you." 

Thus  it  came  about  that,  soon  after  night  fell,  three 
sulky  Bisharin  camels  were  led  away  from  their  fellows 
and  compelled  to  kneel  unwillingly  to  receive  their 
riders.  The  operation  was  attended  with  much 
squealing  and  groaning. 

"  They  love  not  to  leave  their  brethren,"  said  Abdur 
Kad'r,  pausing  to  take  breath  for  a  fresh  torrent  of 
abuse.  The  camels  were  forcibly  persuaded,  and 
Royson  climbed  into  the  high-peaked  saddle.  His 
last  thought,  as  he  quitted  the  red  glare  of  the  camp- 

260 


Wherein   a   Bisharin   Camel   becomes    Useful 

fires,  was  that  Irene  might  have  snatched  a  few  minutes 
from  her  rest  to  bid  him  farewell.  But  she  was  no- 
where to  be  seen,  so  after  a  final  hand-shake  with 
Stump,  he  rode  away  into  the  night 


261 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE   DESERT   AWAKES 

THE  march  Royson  had  undertaken  was  a  trying 
one.  The  desert  runs  to  extremes,  and,  at  that  season, 
the  thermometer  varied  a  hundred  degrees  between 
noon  and  midnight.  When  the  sun  dipped  behind 
the  hills  a  tense  darkness  fell  on  the  land.  This  im- 
penetrable pall  is  peculiar  to  Egypt;  probably  it  sug- 
gested to  Moses  that  ninth  plague  wherewith  he  afflicted 
the  subjects  of  a  stubborn  Pharaoh.  Though  this 
"darkness  that  may  be  felt"  yields,  as  a  rule,  to  the 
brilliancy  of  the  stars  after  half  an  hour's  duration, 
while  it  lasts  a  lighted  match  cannot  be  seen  beyond 
a  distance  of  ten  or  twelve  feet.  It  is  due,  in  all  like- 
lihood, to  the  rapid  radiation  of  surface  heat.  When 
the  cold  air  has  robbed  sand  and  rock  of  the  tempera- 
ture acquired  from  the  broiling  sun,  the  atmosphere 
clears,  and  the  desert  reveals  itself  again  in  the  gloomy 
monotone  of  night. 

It  may  reasonably  be  supposed  that  the  excess  of 
humidity  which  caused  the  remarkable  mirage  of  the 
afternoon  helped  to  continue  the  "  black  hour,"  as  the 
Arabs  term  it,  far  beyond  its  ordinary  limits.  Hence 
it  was  nearly  ten  o'clock  when  Royson  quitted  the  camp 

262 


The  Desert  Awakes 

on  his  self-imposed  task.  To  all  outward  semblance, 
he  differed  not  a  jot  from  the  two  Arabs  who  accom- 
panied him.  A  burnous  and  hood  covered  his  khaki 
riding  costume.  He  bestrode  a  powerful  camel  nearly 
eight  feet  high.  Like  his  companions,  he  carried  a 
slung  rifle;  a  haversack  and  water-bottle  completed 
his  equipment.  His  size  alone  distinguished  him  from 
Abdur  Kad'r  and  Sheikh  Hussain  of  Kenneh,  the  latter 
being  a  man  whom  Abdur  Kad'r  had  selected  as  best 
fitted  to  win  his  way  unquestioned  into  the  Italian 
camp.  Royson's  Arab  dress  was  intended  to  secure 
the  party  from  espionage  while  they  traveled  towards 
Suleiman's  Well.  When  they  neared  it  he  would 
throw  aside  the  burnous.  His  pith  helmet  was  on  his 
saddle,  but  the  Arab  hood  enabled  him  to  dispense 
with  it  by  night. 

The  older  Arab  led:  behind  him  rode  Royson; 
Hussain  brought  up  the  rear.  In  this  fashion  they 
climbed  the  slight  rise  of  the  wide  valley  which  sheltered 
the  expedition.  They  had  gone  some  three  hundred 
yards,  and  the  leader  was  scanning  the  horizon  for  a 
gap  through  which  the  track  passed,  when  they  were 
all  amazed  to  hear  Miss  Fenshawe's  clear  voice. 

"  I  thought  you  were  never  coming,  Mr.  Royson," 
she  said.  "I  was  on  the  point  of  going  back  to  my 
tent,  but  I  caught  the  grumbling  of  your  camels. 
Then  I  knew  that  you  had  really  made  a  start." 

After  the  first  gasp  of  wonder  and  delight,  Dick 
slipped  to  the  ground.  He  narrowly  avoided  a  spiteful 
bite  from  his  unwilling  conveyance,  but  he  handed  the 

263 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

single  rein  to  Abdur  Kad'r,  and  hastened  towards  a 
rock  in  whose  shadow  stood  Irene,  garbed  and  cloaked 
so  that  she  was  scarcely  discernible. 

"I  cannot  tell  you  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you,  Miss 
Fenshawe,"  he  cried,  "yet,  in  the  same  breath,  I  must 
protest  against  your  wandering  so  far  from  the  camp. 
Are  you  alone  ?  " 

"You  may  be  sure  of  that.  Otherwise  I  should  not 
be  here."  She  laughed  cheerfully,  for  the  escapade 
had  in  it  a  spice  of  adventure,  and  she  wished  to  give 
it  a  lighter  turn. 

''  Then  you  have  news  for  me  ?  " 

"No.  You  heard  all  that  passed  to-day.  Since 
then,  my  grandfather  has  refused  to  discuss  the  affair. 
As  a  result,  Mrs.  Haxton  and  the  Baron  were  snappy 
during  dinner.  In  fact,  they  were  unendurable,  and 
I  was  delighted  when  they  left  us." 

"  It  is  a  hateful  thing  to  have  to  lecture  you,"  he  said, 
coming  nearer,  and  trying  to  peer  into  her  face,  "but 
you  know  you  ought  not  to  take  this  risk.  It  is  too 
venturesome.  I  think  that  this  section  of  the  desert 
is  fairly  clear  of  any  real  danger,  so  far  as  prowling 
Bedouins  are  concerned,  but  there  are  other  unpleasant 
neighbors  —  in  the  shape  of  snakes  and  scorpions  — 

"  I  am  wearing  riding  boots,"  she  interrupted.  "  And 
I  shall  soon  relieve  your  anxiety  by  returning  to  my 
hammock.  Pray  don't  trouble  about  me,  Mr.  Royson. 
I  have  waylaid  you  with  a  purpose.  It  is  too  late  now, 
I  suppose,  to  dissuade  you  from  carrying  out  a  useless 
and  absurd  journey,  but  I  do  ask  you  not  to  commit 

264 


The  Desert  Awakes 

the  further  folly  of  sacrificing  your  own  life,  and,  per- 
haps, the  lives  of  others,  in  the  mistaken  belief  that 
you  are  serving  Mr.  Fenshawe's  interests." 

Though  she  strove  to  speak  in  a  tone  of  conventional 
friendliness,  her  voice  shook  a  little.  Dick  was  pro- 
foundly moved.  It  seemed  to  him  suddenly  that  the 
burnous  he  wore  exercised  a  stifling  effect  on  him. 
He  threw  it  off,  and  it  fell  unheeded  to  the  loose  stones 
at  his  feet.  The  girl  laughed  again,  somewhat  tremu- 
lously. 

"What  of  those  nasty  creatures  against  which  you 
warned  me  a  moment  ago?"  she  exclaimed.  "Or  is 
it  that  your  disguise  has  become  unbearable?  You 
make  an  astonishingly  tall  Arab,  Mr.  Royson.  I 
should  have  picked  you  out  anywhere." 

That  wayward  heart  of  Dick's  drove  a  hot  flood  of 
color  to  his  face,  but  he  still  held  mastery  over  his 
tongue. 

"  Why  do  you  think  I  am  likely  to  run  into  danger  ?  " 
he  asked.  For  an  instant  his  calmness  misled  her. 
She  had  grown  accustomed  to  his  habit  of  self-restraint, 
and  looked  for  nothing  else. 

"Because  you  would  dare  anything  rather  than  fail," 
she  said.  "You  would  ride  alone  into  the  midst  of  a 
thousand  enemies  if  you  thought  that  thereby  you 
could  attain  your  ends.  And  I  want  to  assure  you 
that  I  —  that  Mr.  Fenshawe  —  would  object  most 
strenuously  to  your  incurring  any  real  peril  for  the 
sake  of  the  worthless  people  who  have  brought  us 
to  Africa  on  a  wild-goose  chase.  By  all  means  secure 

265 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

for  us  any  possible  information  that  can  be  obtained 
through  the  Arabs,  but  I  came  here  because  —  because 
I  shall  feel  happier  if  you  promise  me  —  that  —  you 
will  avoid  this  man,  Alfieri,  and  his  friends.  Did  you 
see  the  look  on  Baron  von  Kerber's  face  to-day?  I 
never  before  realized  what  the  hunger  for  gold  meant. 
He  would  kill  any  one  who  barred  his  path.  I  could 
read  his  very  soul.  And  —  and  —  it  frightened  me. 
So  you  must  come  back  safely,  Mr.  Royson,  for  I  have 
confidence  in  you  and  Captain  Stump,  but  I  am  terri- 
fied of  what  may  happen  if  von  Kerber  tells  the  others 
the  story  of  the  treasure,  and  promises  them  a  large 
share  in  it,  should  it  be  found." 

"I  had  not  thought  of  that,"  said  Dick  simply. 
Indeed,  his  mind  was  not  at  all  occupied  just  then  with 
von  Kerber's  scheming. 

"So  I  imagined.  And  that  is  why  I  stole  out  of 
my  tent  and  waited  here.  I  was  sure  you  would 
agree  with  me  that  the  really  important  thing  is  our 
speedy  return  to  the  yacht.  It  is  the  only  possible 
course.  My  grandfather  never  intended  to  gain  his 
ends  by  armed  force,  and  von  Kerber  is  assuredly 
dreaming  of  that  at  this  moment." 

"I  begin  to  see  your  point  of  view,"  said  he,  forcing 
himself  to  answer  her  words,  though  his  brain  was 
weaving  other  phrases.  "Even  if  I  discover  that 
Alfieri  is  digging  up  those  precious  camel-loads,  it  will 
be  best  for  all  parties  that  his  success  should  be  mini- 
mized." 

"Yes,  yes,"  she  cried  eagerly.  "That  is  my  mean- 
266 


The  Desert  Awakes 

ing.  I  do  not  care  what  happens  so  long  as  we  all 
reach  Pajura.  Then  let  the  Baron  and  Mrs.  Haxton 
do  as  they  choose.  Even  if  they  want  to  borrow  our 
money  and  our  goods  and  chattels  for  the  purpose  of  a 
second  expedition  I  shall  be  the  first  to  support  the  idea." 

"  You  are  not  longing,  then,  for  a  sight  of  the  Sheban 
wealth?" 

"  No.  I  hate  the  very  thought  of  it.  It  is  —  blood- 
stained. Oh,  Mr.  Royson,  everything  now  depends 
on  you.  Please  contrive  matters  so  that  we  shall  travel 
to  the  coast  without  delay.  That  is  all.  You  under- 
stand me,  I  think.  It  only  remains  for  me  to  wish 
you  good- by  and  God-speed." 

She  moved  a  little  apart,  but  Dick's  left  hand  caught 
her  by  the  shoulder. 

"No,  Irene,  it  is  not  all,"  he  whispered.  "I  am 
going  now,  and  I  shall  return  to  you,  God  willing, 
within  thirty-six  hours,  and,  before  I  go,  I  want  to 
kiss  you." 

He  could  feel  the  quiver  that  shook  her  slender  form 
at  the  unexpectedness  of  it.  She  uttered  a  startled  cry, 
and  wondered  if  she  had  heard  aright,  but  she  yielded 
to  the  clasp  of  an  encircling  arm.  Perhaps  she  lifted 
her  face  in  sheer  amazement;  be  that  as  it  may,  Dick 
kissed  her,  not  once,  but  many  times. 

"  May  Heaven  guard  and  keep  you,  sweetheart,"  he 
said  brokenly.  "You  know  that  I  love  you.  You 
have  known  it  many  a  day,  but  I  forced  myself  to  be 
silent  because  I  was  proud.  Now  my  pride  has  given 
way  to  the  joy  of  whispering  that  I  love  you.  To- 

267 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

morrow,  that  stubborn  pride  of  mine  may  rebuke  me, 
and  say  that  I  had  no  right  to  take  you  to  my  heart 
to-night,  but  to-night  my  love  laughs  at  all  that  idle 
pretense  of  money  erecting  a  barrier  between  you  and 
me.  You  are  dearer  to  me  than  life,  and  why  should 
I  not  tell  you  so?  I  wanted  to  meet  you  to-night, 
Irene.  I  made  plaint  to  the  stars  when  I  did  not  see 
you  at  parting.  Now  that  you  are  here,  I  find  myself 
at  the  gates  of  Paradise.  Yet  you  must  leave  me  now, 
dear  one.  Let  me  carry  the  fragrance  of  your  kiss  on 
my  lips  until  the  dawn.  Then,  in  the  chill  of  morning, 
when  cold  reason  chides  me,  I  shall  refuse  to  listen  to 
her,  for  I  shall  remember  that  Irene  kissed  me." 

The  girl  clung  to  him  during  a  blissful  instant. 

"  Oh ! "  she  sighed,  and  "  Oh ! "  again,  as  though  her 
heart  was  throbbing  its  life  out.  Then  she  murmured : 

"You  have  not  even  asked  me  if  I  loved  you,  King 
Dick!" 

With  that  she  glanced  up  at  him,  and  placed  both 
hands  on  his  shoulders. 

"No,"  he  said.  "I  only  asked  you  to  kiss  me.  I 
shall  ask  for  your  love  when  I  may  come  without  re- 
proach and  ask  you  to  be  my  wife." 

"Dick,"  she  said,  with  adorable  shyness,  "it  is  not 
yet  to-morrow." 

He  strained  her  to  his  breast.  Their  lips  met  again 
rapturously. 

"Oh,  my  sweet,"  he  said,  "has  ever  man  received 
more  angelic  answer  to  a  question  that  filled  his  heart 
with  longing  throughout  many  days  ?  " 

268 


"Go.  Dick,  but  come  back  to  me  in  safety"     Pugi'  "-'( 


The  Desert  Awakes 

"Yet  you  are  leaving  me,  and  of  your  own  accord." 

"  Irene  —  you,  too,  are  proud.  Would  you  have  me 
return  now  ?  " 

"No.  I  know  now  that  fate  has  chosen  you  to  de- 
cide our  fortunes.  Go,  Dick,  but  come  back  to  me  in 
safety,  or  my  poor  little  heart  will  break." 

Then,  as  though  afraid  of  her  own  weakness,  she 
drew  herself  from  his  arms  and  hurried  away  towards 
the  camp.  He  stood  motionless,  listening  to  her  foot- 
steps, and  his  soul  sang  blithe  canticles  the  while.  At 
last,  when  assured  that  she  was  within  her  tent,  he 
picked  up  the  discarded  burnous,  strode  to  the  waiting 
camels,  and  quickly  the  desert  enfolded  him  and  his 
dreams  in  its  great  silence. 

And  Dick  thanked  the  desert  for  its  kindliness,  which 
had  made  possible  that  which  was  beyond  credence. 
In  London,  how  could  a  poverty-stricken  outcast  dare 
to  raise  his  eyes  to  the  patrician  heiress  ?  He  remem- 
bered that  first  glance  of  hers,  and  the  tactful  way  in 
which  she  had  discriminated  between  the  man  who 
might  be  glad  of  a  sovereign  for  the  service  he  had 
rendered,  and  him  who  would  value  a  woman's  thanks 
far  beyond  gold.  And  then,  with  what  quiet  dignity 
she  had  ignored  his  fierce  repudiation  of  von  Kerber's 
offer  of  recompense.  In  that  bitter  hour  how  might 
he  foresee  the  turn  of  fortune's  wheel  which  in  two 
short  months  would  bring  that  dainty  girl  to  his  lover's 
embrace!  How  delightful  it  was  to  hear  his  nick- 
name from  her  lips!  King  Dick!  Well,  such  bold 
wooing  ran  in  the  blood,  and  it  would  go  hard  with 

269 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

any  man,  whether  Frank  or  Saracen,  who  barred  the 
way  between  him  and  his  chosen  lady.  What  if  her 
grandfather  were  fifty  times  a  millionaire!  What  had 
millions  to  do  with  love  ?  Precious  little,  quoth  Richard, 
if  all  he  had  read  of  rich  men's  lives  were  even  partly 
true.  He  had  a  twinge  or  two  when  he  reflected  that, 
at  present,  he  occupied  the  position  of  second  mate  on 
Fenshawe's  yacht.  He  pictured  himself  asking  the  old 
gentleman  for  Irene's  hand  in  marriage,  and  being  told 
that  he  was  several  sorts  of  a  lunatic.  But  the  memory 
of  Irene's  kisses  rendered  her  grandfather's  antici- 
pated wrath  quite  bearable,  and  Dick  laughed  aloud 
at  the  joy  and  folly  of  it  all,  until  Sheikh  Abdur  Kad'r 
was  moved  to  say  sharply: 

"At  night,  in  the  desert,  Effendi,  the  ears  carry 
farther  than  the  eyes,  so  it  behooves  us  to  make  no  more 
noise  with  our  tongues  than  our  camels  make  with 
their  feet." 

They  journeyed  slowly  until  a  wondrous  amber  light 
first  flooded  the  eastern  horizon  and  then  tinted  the 
opposite  hills  with  pink  coral.  Soon,  rainbow  shades 
of  blue  and  green  began  to  blend  with  the  pink,  and  the 
undulating  plateau  they  were  traversing  revealed  with 
startling  suddenness  its  scattered  rocks  and  patches  of 
loose  stones.  The  camels  were  urged  into  a  lurching 
trot,  and  thirty  miles  were  covered  in  less  time  than  it 
had  taken  to  travel  eight  during  the  dark  hours. 

Beyond  a  few  gazelles,  a  pair  of  marabout  storks, 
and  a  troup  of  jackals,  they  saw  no  living  creature. 
But  they  took  every  precaution  against  surprise.  If 

270 


The  Desert  Awakes 

others  were  on  the  march  they  meant  to  discover  the 
fact  before  they  were  themselves  seen.  So,  when  the 
ground  was  practicable,  they  crossed  the  sky-line  at 
top  speed,  hastened  through  the  intervening  valley, 
and  crept  in  India^  file  to  the  next  crest. 

The  Bisharin  camels  had  long  ceased  to  utter  their 
unavailing  growls.  Such  reasoning  powers  as  they 
possessed  told  them  that  they  must  make  the  best  of 
a  bad  business,  as  the  lords  of  creation  on  their  backs 
meant  to  reach  the  allotted  destination  without  refer- 
ence to  the  outraged  feelings  of  three  ill-used  animals 
who  had  been  deprived  of  a  night's  rest.  Now,  a  camel 
has  been  taught,  by  long  experience,  that  the  legitimate 
end  of  a  march  is  supplied  only  by  something  in  the 
shape  of  an  oasis,  no  matter  how  slight  may  be  its 
store  of  prickly  bushes  and  wiry  grass.  Therefore, 
these  Bisharin  brethren  must  have  felt  something  akin 
to  surprise  when  they  were  tethered  and  fed  in  a  rock- 
strewn  wady  which  offered  neither  food  nor  water. 
Animals  and  men  had  to  depend  on  the  supplies  they 
had  carried  thither.  Shelter,  of  course,  there  was 
none,  and  at  nine  o'clock  the  sun  was  already  high  in 
the  heavens. 

One  unhappy  beast  made  a  tremendous  row  when 
Russian  mounted  him  again  after  a  brief  respite,  and 
bade  him  be  moving.  Nevertheless,  protest  was 
useless,  and  only  led  to  torture.  Finally,  squealing 
and  weeping,  the  camel  moved  off,  while  his  erstwhile 
sympathizers  regarded  him  blandly  and  unmoved,  see- 
ing that  they  were  not  disturbed,  but  permitted  to  munch 

271 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

in  peace  the  remains  of  a  meal.  Hussain  was  soon  out 
of  sight.  According  to  Abdur  Kad'r's  calculations,  the 
Italian  camp  was  in  the  center  of  the  next  important 
valley.  At  the  utmost,  it  was  three  miles  distant,  and 
Hussain 's  presence  early  in  the  forenoon  would  be  more 
readily  accounted  for  if  he  put  in  an  appearance  on  a 
camel  that  was  obviously  leg-weary. 

Royson  had  given  the  man  explicit  instructions.  If 
questioned,  he  was  to  state  the  actual  facts  —  that  an 
Englishman  and  himself,  with  one  other  Arab,  had 
made  a  forced  march  from  the  nearest  oasis,  that  his 
exhausted  companions  were  resting  at  no  great  dis- 
tance, and  that  he  purposed  returning  to  them  with  a 
replenished  water-bag  and  some  food  for  their  camels. 
But,  amid  the  bustle  of  a  large  encampment,  it  was 
more  than  likely  that  his  arrival  would  pass  unnoticed 
save  by  his  brother  Arabs.  In  that  event,  he  could 
satisfy  their  curiosity  without  going  into  details,  ascer- 
tain whether  or  not  Abdullah  the  Spear-thrower  was 
among  them,  and,  by  keeping  his  eyes  and  ears  open, 
learn  a  good  deal  as  to  the  progress  effected  by  Alfieri 
in  the  work  of  exploration. 

By  hook  or  by  crook,  he  must  endeavor  to  return 
before  sundown  —  if  accompanied  by  Adbullah,  so 
much  the  better.  Then,  having  learnt  his  news,  they 
could  decide  on  the  next  step  to  be  taken.  Perhaps,  if 
Abdullah  came,  they  would  be  able  to  rejoin  the  expe- 
dition without  further  trouble. 

After  Hussain's  departure,  Royson  and  Abdur  Kad'r 
disposed  themselves  to  rest.  Utilizing  camel  cloths 

272 


as  tentes  d'abri,  they  snatched  a  couple  of  hours  of  un- 
easy sleep;  but  the  heat  and  insects  drove  even  the  sea- 
soned sheikh  to  rebellion,  and  by  midday  both  men 
preferred  the  hot  air  and  sunshine  to  the  sweltering  shade 
of  the  stuffy  cloths. 

Irene  was  right  when  she  said  that  Dick  had  made  a 
great  advance  with  his  Arabic.  He  was  master  of 
many  words  of  every-day  use,  and  had  also  learnt  a 
number  of  connected  phrases.  Abdur  Kad'r  knew 
some  French.  These  joint  attainments  enabled  them 
to  carry  on  a  conversation. 

The  Arab,  with  the  curiosity  of  all  men  who  do  not 
read  books,  sought  information  as  to  life  in  big  cities, 
and  Royson  amused  himself  by  depicting  the  marvels 
of  London.  A  limited  vocabulary,  no  less  than  the 
dense  ignorance  of  his  guide  on  such  topics  as  rail- 
ways, electricity,  paved  streets,  cabs,  and  other  ele- 
ments of  existence  in  towns,  rendered  the  descriptions 
vague.  Suddenly,  the  sheikh  broke  in  on  Dick's 
labored  recital  with  a  query  that  gave  the  conversation 
an  extraordinary  turn. 

"If  you  have  so  many  remarkable  things  in  your 
own  land,  Effendi,  what  do  you  seek  here  ?  "  he  asked, 
waving  a  lean  hand  in  comprehensive  sweep.  "This 
is  no  place  for  town-bred  men  like  the  Hakim  Effendi, 
nor  for  two  such  women  as  those  who  travel  with  us. 
You  have  ridden  three  hundred  kilometers  across  the 
desert,  and  for  what  ?  To  find  five  hills,  says  the  Hakim. 
May  Allah  be  praised  that  rich  men  should  wish  to 
spend  so  much  money  for  so  foolish  a  reason!" 

273 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"But  the  Hakim  Effendi  believes  that  there  is  an 
oasis  marked  by  five  hills  somewhere  in  this  district, 
and,  were  he  to  find  it,  we  would  dig,  and  perhaps 
discover  some  ancient  articles  buried  there,  articles  of 
small  value  to  the  world  generally,  but  highly  prized 
by  those  who  understand  their  history." 

"I  know  this  desert  as  you  know  those  streets  you 
have  keen  telling  me  of,"  said  Abdur  Kad'r,  "  and  there 
is  no  oasis  marked  by  five  hills.  You  have  seen  every 
camping-ground  between  here  and  Pajura.  There  is 
but  one  other  track,  an  old  caravan  road  from  the  sea, 
which  crosses  our  present  line  a  few  kilometers  to  the 
south.  We  passed  it  last  night  in  the  dark.  It  has 
only  four  wells.  The  nearest  one  is  called  the  Well  of 
Moses,  the  next,  the  Well  of  the  Elephant  — 

"Why  should  you  Arabs  have  a  well  of  Moses?" 
asked  Dick,  smiling.  "It  is  not  thought  that  Moses 
ever  wandered  in  this  locality,  is  it?" 

"  We  respect  Moses  and  all  the  prophets,"  said  Abdur 
Kad'r  seriously.  He  smoked  in  silence  for  a  minute, 
seemingly  searching  his  memory  for  something  that 
had  escaped  it. 

"Is  it  true,"  he  demanded  doubtingly,  "that  once 
upon  a  time  many  of  the  hills  gave  forth  fire  and  smoke 
as  from  a  furnace?" 

"  Quite  true.  Volcanoes  we  call  them.  All  these 
mountains  are  volcanic  in  their  origin." 

"Then  a  moulvie  whom  I  met  once  did  not  lie  to 
me.  He  said  that  seven  little  mounds  which  stand 
near  that  well  had  been  known  to  vomit  ashes  and 

274 


The  Desert  Awakes 

flame:  thus,  they  came  to  be  called  the  Seven-branched 
Candlestick  of  Moses.  I  suppose  the  well  took  the 
prophet's  name  in  that  way.  Who  knows?" 

Royson  had  learnt  of  late  how  to  school  his  face. 
Long  practise  under  the  witchery  of  Irene's  eyes  and 
Mrs.  Haxton's  ceaseless  scrutiny  enabled  him  now  to 
conceal  the  lightning  flash  of  inspiration  that  fired  his 
intelligence.  An  old  caravan  road  from  the  sea,  a 
road  that  led  to  the  Nile,  with  its  fourth  stopping- 
place  made  notable  by  seven  tiny  cones  of  an  extinct 
volcano  —  surely  that  had  the  ring  of  actuality  about 
it!  Von  Kerber  had  confessed  to  altering  figures  and 
distances  in  the  papyrus  —  was  this  an  instance  ?  — 
were  the  "  hills  "  they  sought  not  five  but  seven  in  num- 
ber ?  What  an  amazing  thing  it  would  be  if  this  gaunt 
old  sheikh  held  the  clue  to  the  burial-place  of  the 
treasure!  It  must  have  been  on  the  tip  of  his  tongue 
ever  since  they  met  him,  yet  the  knowledge  was  with- 
held, solely  on  account  of  von  Kerber's  secretive 
methods.  Had  he  told  Abdur  Kad'r  that  he  was 
searching  for  an  oasis  sheltered  by  seven  hills  it  was 
almost  quite  certain  that  the  Well  of  Moses  would  at 
least  have  been  mentioned  as  the  only  locality  offering 
a  remote  resemblance  to  that  which  he  sought.  Some- 
how, Dick  felt  that  he  had  stumbled  on  to  the  truth. 
Though  tingling  with  excitement,  he  managed  to  con- 
trol his  voice. 

"  You  say  it  is  four  marches  from  here  to  the  sea  ? " 
he  asked. 

"  Five,  Effendi.     There  are  four  wells,  but  each  is 
275 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

thirty  or  thirty-five  kilometers  from  the  other.  At  one 
time,  I  have  been  told,  many  kafilas  came  that  way, 
but  the  trade  was  killed  by  goods  being  carried  in  ships 
to  other  points,  while  it  is  recorded  among  my  people 
that  the  curse  of  Allah  fell  on  the  land,  and  blighted  it, 
and  the  trees  died,  and  the  streams  dried  up,  until  it 
became  as  you  now  see  it." 

Dick  lit  a  fresh  cigarette,  and  blew  a  great  cloud  of 
smoke  before  his  eyes,  lest  the  observant  Arab  should 
read  the  thoughts  that  made  them  glisten. 

"  Let  us  suppose,"  he  said  slowly,  "  that  Fenshawe 
Effendi  decided  to  make  for  the  sea  by  that  shorter 
road,  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  doing  it  ?  " 

"  Difficulty ! "  re-echoed  the  sheikh,  "  it  might  cost 
us  many  lives.  A  few  men,  leading  spare  camels  with 
water-bags,  might  get  through  in  safety,  but  it  would 
be  madness  to  attempt  it  with  a  big  caravan.  By  the 
Prophet's  beard,  I  did  not  like  the  prospect  of  this 
present  march,  though  I  knew  there  was  water  and 
food  in  plenty  at  Suleiman's  Well.  What,  then,  would 
happen  if  we  found  every  well  on  the  eastern  road  dry 
as  a  lime-kiln  ?  " 

"Yet  you  have  been  that  way,  you  say?" 

"  Once,  when  I  was  young.  But  we  were  only  a  few 
Arabs,  with  a  long  string  of  camels." 

"Did  you  find  water?" 

"  Malish  —  I  have  forgotten.     It  is  so  long  ago." 

Royson  rose  to  his  feet  and  stretched  himself.  He 
wondered  what  Alfieri  was  disinterring  at  Suleiman's 
Well  if  the  legion  of  ^Elius  Gallus  had  followed  the 

276 


The  Desert  Awakes 

old-world  route  described  by  the  Arab.  Perhaps  it 
was  all  a  mad  dream,  and  this  latest  development  but 
an  added  trick  of  fantasy.  Abdur  Kad'r,  looking  up 
at  him,  chuckled  softly. 

"Effendi,"  he  cried,"  if  you  are  as  strong  as  you 
look,  you  must  be  of  the  breed  of  that  Prankish  king 
whom  our  great  Soldan,  Yussuf  Ibn  Ayub,  fought  in 
Syria  eight  hundred  years  ago.  Bismillah!  I  have 
seen  many  a  proper  man,  but  none  with  height  and  bone 
like  you." 

Now,  Dick  knew  that  Abdur  Kad'r  was  speaking  of 
Richard  the  First  and  Saladin,  and  it  did  seem  a  strange 
thing  that  the  founder  of  his  race  should  be  named 
at  that  moment.  He  laughed  constrainedly. 

"You  have  guessed  truly,  my  friend,"  he  said.  "I 
am  indeed  a  descendant  of  that  famous  fighter.  Alas, 
the  days  have  long  passed  since  men  met  in  fair  con- 
test with  lance  and  sword.  If  I  were  fool  enough  to 
seek  distinction  to-day  in  the  battle-field  I  might  be 
slain  by  any  monkey  of  a  man  who  could  aim  a  rifle." 

"We  die  as  God  wills,"  was  the  Arab's  pious  re- 
joinder, "  yet  I  have  been  in  more  than  one  fight  in  which 
a  Frank  of  your  size  could  have  won  a  name  for  him- 
self. But  I  am  growing  old.  My  hot  days  are  ended, 
and  you  giaours  are  erecting  boundary  pillars  on  the 
desert.  The  free  people  are  dying.  We  are  scattered 
and  divided.  Soon  there  will  not  be  a  genuine  Arab 
left.  May  the  wrath  of  Allah  fall  on  all  un- 
believers ! " 

Then  did  Royson  laugh  again,  with  a  heartiness  that 

277 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

drove  that  passion  of  retrospect  from  Abdur  Kad'r's 
dark  features. 

"Whatever  happens,  let  not  you  and  me  quarrel," 
he  cried.  "We  have  enough  on  hand  that  we  should 
keep  our  heads  cool.  And  who  can  tell  what  this  very 
day  may  bring  forth?  Things  may  happen  ere  we 
rejoin  our  caravan,  Abdur  Kad'r." 

The  sheikh  bowed  his  head  in  confusion.  It  must 
have  been  the  heat,  he  muttered,  that  caused  his  tongue 
to  utter  such  folly.  And,  indeed,  the  excuse  might 
serve,  for  the  hot  hours  dragged  most  wearily,  and  the 
sun  circled  ever  towards  the  hills,  yet  there  came  no 
sign  of  Hussain. 

Royson  was  divided  between  his  promise  to  Irene 
not  to  incur  any  avoidable  risk  and  his  natural  wish 
to  obtain  the  information  so  eagerly  awaited  in  the 
camp.  Though  he  meant  to  begin  the  return  journey 
at  sunset,  here  was  five  o'clock,  and  he  no  wiser  than 
yesterday  at  the  same  hour.  At  last,  inaction  grew 
irksome.  He  helped  Abdur  Kad'r  to  saddle  the  camels, 
and  they  mounted,  with  intent  to  climb  the  northerly 
ridge,  and  thus  survey  the  road  which  Hussain  must 
pursue  if  he  managed  to  get  away  from  Italian  sur- 
veillance before  nightfall. 

They  proceeded  warily.  On  gaining  the  opposing 
height  they  found  thata  broad  plateau,  flanked  by  a  steep 
hill  on  the  seaward  side,  barred  any  distant  view,  but 
Abdur  Kad'r  felt  assured  that  the  crest  of  this  next  hill 
would  give  them  command  of  the  whole  range  of  broken 
country  for  many  miles  ahead.  With  this  objective, 

278 


The  Desert  Awakes 

they  urged  the  camels  into  a  trot.  When  the  shoulder 
of  the  rising  ground  became  almost  impassable  for 
four-footed  animals,  and  awkward  beasts  at  that,  they 
dismounted,  tied  the  camels  to  heavy  stones,  and 
climbed  the  remainder  of  the  way  on  foot. 

They  looked  across  a  narrow  valley  into  a  wide  and 
shallow  depression,  where  a  clump  of  palm  trees  and 
dense  patches  of  sayall  bushes  instantly  revealed  the 
whereabouts  of  the  oasis.  It  was  easy  to  see  the  regu- 
lar lines  of  newly-turned  rubble  and  sand  where  trenches 
had  been  cut  by  the  explorers.  But  the  place  was 
deserted.  Not  a  man  or  horse,  camel  or  tent,  stood 
on  the  spot  where  the  mirage  had  revealed  a  multitude 
some  twenty-six  hours  earlier. 

Roysen  was  so  perplexed  by  the  discovery  that  his 
gaze  did  not  wander  from  the  abandoned  camp.  Abdur 
Kad'r,  quicker  than  he  to  read  the  tokens  of  the  desert, 
pointed  to  a  haze  of  dust  that  hung  in  the  still  air  far 
to  the  north. 

"  The  Italians  have  gone,  Effendi,"  he  said.  "  Per- 
haps they,  too,  were  looking  for  an  oasis  with  five  hills. 
Behold,  they  have  found  one  by  a  fool's  counting,  for 
this  is  the  fifth  hill  within  two  kilometers  of  Suleiman's 
Well.  The  ways  of  Allah  are  wonderful.  Can  it  be 
that  they  have  discovered  that  which  you  seek?" 

A  sharp  pang  of  disappointment  shot  through  Roy- 
son's  breast.  He  was  about  to  tell  Abdur  Kad'r  that 
they  must  now  regain  their  camels  and  hasten  to  the 
oasis  while  there  was  sufficient  light  to  examine  the 
excavations,  when  the  sheikh  suddenly  pulled  him 

279 


The  Wheel  o"  Fortune 

down,  for  Dick  had  stood  upright  on  a  boulder  to 
obtain  an  uninterrupted  field  of  vision. 

"  Look ! "  he  growled.  "  Four  of  them !  And,  by  the 
Holy  Kaaba,  they  mean  mischief!" 

Royson's  eyes  were  good,  clearer,  in  all  probability, 
than  the  Arab's,  but  they  were  not  trained  to  detect 
moving  objects  with  such  minute  precision.  Never- 
theless, in  a  few  seconds  he  made  out  the  hoods  of  four 
men  who  were  peering  over  the  crest  which  separated 
the  small  valley  from  the  larger  one.  They  disappeared, 
and,  while  Royson  and  Abdur  Kad'r  were  speculating 
on  the  motive  that  inspired  this  espionage,  the  hoods 
came  in  sight  again,  but  this  time  they  had  the  regular 
swing  that  betokened  camel-riders.  The  four  halted 
on  the  sky-line,  and  seemingly  exchanged  signals  with 
others  in  the  rear.  Then  they  resumed  their  advance. 
They  were  fully  armed ;  they  carried  their  guns  across 
the  saddle-bow,  and  Dick  saw  that  their  cloaks  were 
rather  differently  fashioned  to  those  which  he  had 
taken  note  of  hitherto. 

" Hadendowas ! "  murmured  Abdur  Kad'r.  "They 
are  good  fighters,  Effendi,  but  born  thieves.  And  how 
many  ride  behind  ?  Not  for  twenty  years  have  I  met 
Hadendowas  on  this  track." 

The  Arab's  keen  eyes  did  not  cease  to  glare  fixedly 
beyond  the  ridge.  Soon  he  whispered  again: 

"  They  may  not  have  seen  us,  Effendi,  but  we  must 
be  ready  for  them.  Go  you,  and  lead  our  camels  into 
the  hollow  there,"  and  he  thrust  his  chin  towards  the 
seaward  base  of  the  hill.  "I  shall  soon  know  if  they 

280 


The  Desert  Awakes 

are  playing  fox  with  us.  Our  camels  are  of  the  Bis- 
harin  breed,  while  theirs  are  Persian,  so  we  can  always 
outstrip  them  if  it  comes  to  a  race.  You  understand, 
Effendi;  they  come  from  Suleiman's  Well.  Perchance 
evil  hath  befallen  Hussain." 

Abhur  Kad'r's  advice  was  so  obviously  reasonable 
that  Dick  obeyed  it,  though  unwillingly.  He  took  the 
camels  to  the  place  indicated  by  his  companion,  and 
had  no  difficulty  in  finding  a  cleft  in  which  they  were 
quite  hidden  from  the  ken  of  any  who  followed  the 
main  track. 

Soon  he  heard  the  sheikh  hurrying  after  him. 

"Had  we  awaited  Hussain  another  half  hour  we 
should  have  been  dead  or  captured  by  this  time, 
Effendi,"  was  his  bewildering  news.  "A  white  man 
and  nearly  seventy  Hadendowas,  all  armed,  and  lead- 
ing pack  camels,  follow  close  behind  the  scouts.  With 
them  are  Hussain  and  another,  but  their  arms  are 
bound,  and  they  are  roped  to  their  beasts.  The  Giaour 
—  may  he  be  withered  —  rides  my  Bisharin  camel." 

Then  Royson  knew  by  intuition  what  had  happened. 
Alfieri  had  failed  in  his  quest.  The  Italian  commander 
of  the  troops,  refusing  to  sanction  useless  labor  any 
longer,  had  marched  north  with  his  men.  Alfieri,  still 
clinging  desperately  to  a  chimera,  had  decided  to  remain 
and  scour  the  desert  until  his  stores  gave  out.  And, 
at  this  crucial  moment  in  his  enterprise,  came  Hussain, 
the  unconscious  emissary  of  his  rivals.  The  fact  that 
the  Arab  was  a  prisoner  spoke  volumes.  He  had  tried 
to  communicate  with  Abdullah,  and  the  watchful 

281 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Italian  had  guessed  his  true  mission.  The  man  might 
have  been  tortured  until  he  confessed  the  whereabouts 
not  only  of  Royson  himself  and  Abdur  Kad'r  but  of 
the  whole  expedition.  There  was  but  one  thing  to  do, 
and  that  speedily. 

"  Up ! "  he  shouted,  dragging  the  camels  forth  to  an 
open  space.  "You  ride  in  front  and  set  the  pace." 

"  What  would  you  do,  Effendi  ? "  cried  the  sheikh 
in  alarm.  "They  will  see  us  ere  we  have  gone  five 
hundred  meters.  Let  us  wait  for  the  night." 

"  Up,  I  tell  you,"  roared  Royson,  catching  the  Arab's 
shoulder  in  a  steel  grip.  "  In  another  ten  minutes  they 
will  know  we  have  fled,  and  they  will  hurry  south  at 
top  speed.  What  chance  have  we  of  passing  them  in 
this  country  at  night  ?  Our  sole  hope  is  to  head  them. 
No  more  words,  but  ride.  Believe  me,  Abdur  Kad'r, 
it  is  life  or  death  for  you,  and  it  matters  little  to  me 
whether  you  die  here,  or  in  the  next  valley,  or  not  at 
all." 

Then  the  Arab  knew  that  he  had  met  his  master. 
He  climbed  to  the  saddle,  said  words  not  in  the  Koran, 
and  urged  his  camel  into  a  frenzied  run.  Royson, 
who  could  never  have  persuaded  his  own  long-legged 
steed  to  adopt  such  a  pace,  found  it  easy  enough  to 
induce  the  beast  to  follow  his  brother. 

In  this  fashion,  riding  like  madmen,  they  traversed 
the  plateau  and  had  almost  begun  the  descent  into  the 
wady  where  they  had  spent  the  day,  when  a  distant 
yell  reached  them.  There  was  no  need  to  look  back, 
even  if  such  a  hazardous  proceeding  were  warranted 

282 


The  Desert  Awakes 

by  their  break-neck  gait.  They  were  discovered,  but 
they  were  in  front,  and  that  counts  for  a  good  deal  in 
a  race.  They  tore  down  the  hill,  lumbered  across  the 
dried-up  bed  of  a  long-vanished  torrent,  and  pressed 
up  the  further  side.  As  they  neared  the  ridge,  four 
rifle  shots  rang  out,  and  Dick  saw  three  little  spurts  of 
dust  and  stones  kick  up  in  front  on  the  right,  while  a 
white  spatter  suddenly  shone  on  a  dark  rock  to  the 
left. 

"Faster!"  he  roared  to  Abdur  Kad'r.  ''They  can- 
not both  ride  and  fire.  In  the  next  wady  we  shall  be 
safe.  Bend  to  it,  my  friend.  Your  reward  will  be 
great,  and  measured  only  by  your  haste  in  bringing  me 
back  to  our  camp." 


283 


CHAPTER  XVI 

A   FLIGHT  —  AND   A   FIGHT 

MRS.  HAXTON  was  no  laggard  in  her  hammock  on 
the  day  after  Royson's  departure  from  the  camp,  but, 
early  riser  though  she  was,  Irene  was  up  and  dressed 
when  the  older  woman  came  to  her  tent  and  asked  if 
she  might  have  a  word  with  her.  In  fact,  Irene  had 
not  undressed  at  all  the  previous  night.  When  she 
tore  herself  from  Dick's  arms,  she  hurried  back  to  the 
oasis,  it  is  true,  but  only  to  draw  a  chair  out  into 
the  open,  and  sit  there  under  the  stars,  dreaming  the 
dreams  of  a  girl  to  whom  the  heaven  of  love  has  just 
thrown  wide  its  portals. 

Even  the  midnight  chill  did  not  drive  her  to  bed. 
She  closed  the  flap  of  her  tent,  lit  a  lamp,  and  tried  to 
read,  but  the  letters  danced  before  her  eyes.  Instead 
of  the  scenes  portrayed  by  the  book,  she  saw  three 
ghostly  camels  shuffling  through  stones  and  sand  in 
the  darkness,  and,  on  one  of  them,  the  tall  figure  of  the 
man  whose  parting  words  had  filled  her  soul  with 
honey  sweetness.  At  last,  weary  with  anxiety  on  his 
behalf,  she  threw  herself,  fully  dressed,  on  her  low-hung 
hammock,  this  being  Mr.  Fenshawe's  clever  device  to 
protect  European  skins  from  the  attacks  of  the  insects 

284 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

that  swarm  in  the  desert  wherever  there  is  any  sign  of 
dampness.  She  slept  a  few  fitful  hours,  and  her  first 
waking  thought  was  a  prayer  for  Dick's  well-being. 

Then  came  Mrs.  Haxton,  and  the  girl  received  her 
with  unaffected  friendliness,  being  in  the  mood  that 
demanded  the  sympathy  she  was  prepared  to  offer  to 
all  who  suffered.  Her  visitor  was  observant.  Her 
woman's  eyes  noted  that  Irene  was  still  attired  in  a 
muslin  dinner  dress,  whereas  she  invariably  wore  a 
riding  costume  of  brown  holland  or  Assam  silk  in  the 
morning. 

"  My  dear  Irene,"  she  said,  "  I  hope  you  will  not  allow 
that  stupid  dispute  of  yesterday  to  worry  you  into 
sleepless  nights." 

"But  I  have  slept  —  quite  a  long  time,"  was  the 
girl's  smiling  disclaimer. 

"  Well,  now  —  let  us  consider.  Mr.  Royson  left  the 
camp  about  ten  o'clock.  A  young  lady  who  shall  be 
nameless  said  good-by  to  him  half  an  hour  later — " 

"  You  saw  me  ?  "     Irene  flushed  scarlet. 

"No,  indeed.  I  was  too  busy  with  my  own  sad 
affairs  to  act  the  part  of  a  female  Paul  Pry,  even  invol- 
untarily. But  I  did  see  you  go  to  your  tent,  and  I 
caught  a  glimpse  of  you  at  midnight  when  you  were 
lighting  your  lamp.  It  is  not  yet  six,  so  I  am  guessing 
things." 

"If  I  were  to  return  the  compliment — ' 

"  You  would  say  that  I,  too,  was  not  a  heavy  sleeper. 
Well,  I  make  no  secret  of  a  perturbed  night.  That  is 
why  I  am  here  now.  I  want  your  help,  Irene.  Strange 

285 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune   . 

as  it  may  seem,  I  appeal  to  you  because  I  know  you 
have  always  been  opposed  to  my  aims.  Perhaps  I  am 
to  blame  for  that.  Had  I  forced  Baron  von  Kerber  to 
take  you  and  Mr.  Fenshawe  fully  into  his  confidence, 
events  might  have  shaped  themselves  quite  differently. 
But  it  is  too  late  to  talk  of  what  might  have  been. 
You  are  more  concerned  with  the  future  than  with  the 
past.  Last  night,  while  you  were  looking  into  the 
wonderland  of  the  years  to  come,  I  was  reviewing  lost 
opportunities.  Therefore,  I  come  to  you  this  morning 
somewhat  chastened  in  spirit.  May  I  talk  without 
reserve  ?  " 

"Please,  do,"  cried  Irene,  drawing  her  chair  closer. 
In  the  sharp  clarity  of  sunrise  she  saw  that  Mrs.  Hax- 
ton's  beautiful  face  was  drawn  and  haggard.  She  was 
beginning  to  probe  unsuspected  depths  in  this  woman's 
temperament.  She  understood  something  of  the  intense 
disappointment  which  the  failure  of  the  expedition  must 
evoke  in  one  to  whom  wealth  and  all  that  it  yields 
constituted  the  breath  of  life.  And  then,  she  was  in 
love,  which  predisposes  its  votaries  towards  charity. 

Mrs.  Haxton  sighed.  A  consummate  actress,  for 
once  her  art  was  supplemented  by  real  feeling. 

"Ah,"  she  murmured,  her  eyes  filling  with  tears,  "I 
find  your  pity  hard  to  bear." 

"Surely  you  are  not  going  to  cry  just  because  I  am 
sorry  for  you,"  cried  the  girl.  "There  now.  Don't 
give  way.  Let  me  call  one  of  the  men.  He  will  bring 
us  some  tea,  and  we  can  have  a  nice  long  chat  before 
breakfast." 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

"  Yes,  do  that.  We  both  need  it.  My  grief  is  rather 
selfish,  Irene.  I  know  your  secret,  dear  girl,  and  I 
wish  you  every  happiness,  though  the  phrase  carries 
with  it  the  bitter  self-communion  that,  for  my  own  part, 
I  have  forfeited  most  things  that  make  life  happy. 
Well,  that  is  not  what  I  want  to  say.  The  storm  has 
passed.  Summon  your  slave,  and  bid  the  kettle  boil." 

Surprised  and  touched  by  the  emotion  displayed  by 
her  companion,  Irene  hastened  to  procure  the  beverage 
which  Providence  evidently  intended  for  the  consolation 
of  afflicted  womankind.  The  camp  was  already  astir, 
and  the  crew  of  the  Aphrodite  were  preparing  their 
morning  meal,  so  two  cups  of  hot  tea  were  quickly 
available. 

When  Mrs.  Haxton  spoke  again,  the  tears  had  gone, 
and  her  voice  resumed  its  pleasantly  modulated  tone. 

"  May  I  begin  by  assuming  that  you  intend  to  marry 
Mr.  Royson  ? "  she  asked. 

Irene  laughed  softly,  and  her  glance  wandered  beyond 
the  busy  camp  to  the  distant  hills. 

"I  have  known  more  unlikely  events  to  happen," 
she  said. 

"I  thought  so.  I  recognized  the  symptoms.  Well, 
I  want  to  make  a  sort  of  bargain  with  you.  If  you 
help  me,  I  can  help  you,  and,  to  show  that  I  can  give 
effect  to  my  words,  I  shall  tell  you  exactly  what  form 
my  help  will  take  before  I  state  the  nature  of  the  assist- 
ance I  ask  from  you,  so  that  you  may  be  at  perfect 
liberty  to  give  or  withhold  it  as  you  choose." 

"  This  is  a  rather  one-sided  contract,  is  it  not  ? " 
287 


The  Wlwel  o'  Fortune 

"  No.  I  fancy  it  will  be  equitable.  I  have  not  lived 
in  close  intimacy  with  you  during  so  many  weeks 
without  arriving  at  a  fair  estimate  of  your  character. 
You  are  one  of  the  fortunate  people,  Irene,  who  find 
it  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.  At  any  rate  I 
am  satisfied  to  settle  matters  that  way.  And  to  come 
to  the  point,  while  you  may  experience  grave  difficulty 
in  obtaining  your  grandfather's  consent  to  your  mar- 
riage with  a  penniless  young  gentleman  of  striking 
physique  but  no  profession  —  Mr.  Royson  being  even 
a  second  mate  on  sufferance,  so  to  speak  —  the  aspect 
of  your  affairs  changes  materially  when  your  suitor 
becomes  Sir  Richard  Royson,  Baronet,  with  a  fine 
estate  and  a  rent-roll  of  five  thousand  pounds  a  year." 

"  How  can  you  possibly  know  that  ?  "  gasped  Irene, 
spilling  half  her  tea  in  sheer  excitement. 

"  It  is  more  than  possible  —  it  is  true.  I  happen  to 
be  aware  of  the  facts.  That  thrice  fortunate  young  man 
came  into  our  lives  at  a  moment  when,  by  the  merest 
chance,  I  was  able  to  acquire  some  knowledge  of  his 
family  history.  His  uncle,  the  twenty-sixth  baronet, 
I  believe,  sustained  an  accident  in  childhood  which 
unhappily  made  him  a  cripple  and  a  hunchback.  He 
grew  up  a  misanthrope.  He  hated  his  only  brother 
because  he  was  tall  and  strong  as  befitted  one  of  the 
race,  and  his  hatred  became  a  mania  when  Captain 
Henry  Royson  married  a  young  lady  on  whom  the 
dwarf  baronet  had  set  his  mind.  There  never  was  the 
least  reason  to  believe  that  she  would  have  wed  Sir 
Richard,  but  that  did  not  prevent  him  from  pursuing 

288 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

her  with  a  spite  and  vindictiveness  that  earned  him 
very  bad  repute  in  Westmoreland.  His  brother  and 
nephew  were,  however,  his  heirs,  though  the  estate  was 
a  poor  one,  but,  when  minerals  were  discovered  on  the 
property,  he  persuaded  Captain  Royson  to  agree  that 
the  entail  should  be  broken,  as  certain  business  devel- 
opments could  then  be  carried  out  more  effectively. 
This  was  a  reasonable  thing  in  itself,  but,  unhappily, 
the  younger  brother  was  killed  in  the  hunting-field, 
and  some  legal  kink  in  the  affair  enabled  the  baronet 
to  reduce  the  widow  and  her  son  to  actual  poverty. 
Young  Royson  made  a  gallant  attempt  to  support  his 
mother,  but  she  died  nearly  five  years  ago.  Naturally, 
there  was  a  mortal  feud  between  him  and  his  uncle. 
Sir  Richard's  constant  aim  has  been  to  crush  his  nephew. 
He  arranged  matters  so  that  the  bare  title  alone  would 
pass  to  the  heir  at  his  death.  Yet,  on  the  very  day 
that  young  Royson  stopped  your  frightened  horses  in 
Buckingham  Palace  Road,  the  baronet  slipped  on  the 
oak  floor  of  the  picture  gallery  in  Orme  Castle  —  that 
is  the  name  of  their  place  in  the  North  —  and  injured 
his  spine.  The  nearness  of  death  seems  to  have 
frightened  him  into  an  act  of  retribution.  He  made 
a  new  will,  constituting  your  Richard  his  heir,  and  he 
died  the  day  before  our  caravan  left  Pajura." 

A  certain  cold  disdain  had  crept  into  Irene's  face  as 
she  listened.  Mrs.  Haxton  was  well  aware  of  the 
change  in  the  girl's  manner,  but  she  did  not  interrupt 
the  thread  of  her  story,  nor  seek  to  alter  its  significance. 

"Mr.  Royson  knows  nothing  of  these  later  events 
289 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

that  are  so  vitally  important  to  him  ?  "  she  asked,  when 
the  other  woman's  quiet  narration  ceased  its  even  flow. 

"No." 

"Then  how  is  it—" 

"That  I  am  better  informed?  It  is  quite  simple. 
Baron  von  Kerber  intercepted  and  read  all  letters  and 
telegrams  that  came  for  him  by  camel  post." 

Irene  rose.  Anger  flamed  in  her  face,  and  her 
brown  eyes  darkened. 

"  You  dare  to  tell  this  to  me  ?  "  she  said. 

"Exactly.  You  gave  me  permission  to  speak  un- 
reservedly. Please  sit  down.  I  have  not  finished 
yet." 

Somehow,  despite  her  indignation,  the  girl  was 
swayed  into  compliance. 

"You  forget  that  the  twenty-sixth  Sir  Richard  was 
dead,  and  that  it  really  did  not  matter  one  jot  to  the 
twenty-seventh  whether  he  learnt  the  news  a  few  weeks 
earlier  or  later.  But  it  mattered  everything  to  us,  to 
Baron  von  Kerber  and  myself,  I  mean.  We  were 
determined  that  this  expedition  should  succeed,  and 
we  boggled  at  no  means  which  promised  to  achieve 
our  end.  We  have  been  beaten,  but  not  through  any 
fault  of  ours.  We  felt,  not  without  good  reason,  that 
if  Mr.  Royson  were  compelled  to  return  home  you 
would  be  converted  from  a  passive  into  an  active 
enemy.  So  we  adopted  the  leave-well-enough-alone 
policy,  and,  as  one  woman  speaking  to  another,  I 
really  don't  see  what  you  have  to  grumble  about. 
Blame  us  as  much  as  you  like,  you  still  have  the  de- 

290 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

lightful  knowledge  that  the  progress  of  your  love 
affair  was  unaffected  by  titles  or  wealth,  and  I  have 
left  to  you  the  pleasant  duty  of  telling  your  fiance  of 
his  good  fortune." 

"I  am  afraid  your  reasoning  is  too  plausible  for  my 
poor  wits,  Mrs.  Haxton,"  said  the  girl  slowly.  "In- 
deed, I  am  not  sure  that  I  care  to  listen  to  you  any 
further." 

"But  you  must,  you  shall,"  came  the  fierce  outburst. 
"  Do  you  think  I  am  lowering  myself  in  your  eyes  with- 
out cause?  I  have  told  you  the  plain  truth,  careless 
of  the  worst  interpretation  you  may  choose  to  place 
on  my  motives.  Now,  in  return,  I  want  you  to  make 
these  things  known  to  Mr.  Fenshawe.  He  will  be  even 
more  disgusted  with  Baron  von  Kerber  and  my  wretched 
self  than  he  is  at  present,  if  that  be  possible.  Hence, 
he  will  agree,  in  all  probability,  to  do  what  we  ask  — 
we  wish  him  to  give  us  sufficient  equipment  and  escort 
to  travel  direct  to  the  coast  from  here  —  at  once  — 
within  the  hour.  When  we  reach  the  sea  we  can 
cross  to  Aden  in  an  Arab  dhow,  and  neither  Mr. 
Fenshawe  nor  you  will  ever  see  or  hear  from  us  again, 
save  in  a  business  sense.  It  is  not  a  wildly  extravagant 
demand.  None  of  us  can  look  forward  with  pleasure 
to  a  month's  journey  in  company  back  to  Pajura.  If 
I  go  to  Mr.  Fenshawe  with  the  proposal  I  have  made  to 
you,  he  will  suspect  some  hidden  intent.  He  will 
believe  you,  and  you  can  convince  him  that  it  is  the 
only  satisfactory  way  out  of  a  disagreeable  position." 

A  full  minute  elapsed  before  Irene  answered. 
291 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"  I  take  it  that  you  are  here  with  Baron  von  Kerber's 
consent,"  she  said. 

"Yes.  We  discussed  matters  from  every  aspect  last 
night.  That  is  why  I  am  so  well  posted  in  your  move- 
ments. We  prefer  not  to  await  Mr.  Royson's  return. 
Alfieri  has  defeated  us.  We  have  lost  caste  with  you 
and  your  grandfather.  For  Heaven's  sake,  let  us  go!" 

Again  there  was  a  pause.  For  some  reason,  Irene's 
sympathies  conquered  her  again.  She  had  risen,  and 
she  approached  a  little  nearer. 

"I  wish  to  say,"  she  murmured,  "that  —  I  am  — 
sorry  for  you." 

Mrs.  Haxton  looked  up  at  her.  Her  face  was  frozen 
with  misery.  She  seemed  to  be  incapable  of  tears  just 
then.  She  stood  up,  held  herself  erect  for  an  instant, 
and  walked  out  of  the  tent. 

"Thank  you,"  she  said,  without  turning  her  head,  as 
though  she  wished  to  avoid  the  girl's  eyes.  "  Now  go, 
please.  Tell  Mr.  Fenshawe  that  we  shall  be  glad  to 
get  away  while  it  is  possible  to  march.  If  your  grand- 
father sanctions  our  plan,  we  have  all  details  ready  for 
his  approval.  There  need  be  no  delay.  We  do  not 
want  a  great  deal  in  the  way  of  stores,  and  we  give  our 
promise  to  repay  the  small  sum  of  money  which  will 
be  necessary  for  the  voyage  to  Aden  and  thence  to 
London." 

Irene,  conscious  of  some  unknown  element  in  this 
wholly  unexpected  outcome  of  the  previous  evening's 
discord,  hurried  off  to  arouse  her  grandfather.  At  that 
hour  the  kafila  was  usually  beginning  the  day's  march, 

292 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

but  Mr.  Fenshawe,  like  the  others,  had  remained  up 
late,  and  he  was  unwilling  to  be  disturbed  until  his 
servant  told  him  that  his  granddaughter  was  exceedingly 
anxious  to  see  him. 

As  soon  as  she  began  to  relate  Mrs.  Haxton's  story, 
she  realized  that  it  implied  a  confession  of  the  attach- 
ment existing  between  Royson  and  herself.  She  stam- 
mered and  flushed  when  it  came  to  explaining  the 
interest  she  took  in  all  appertaining  to  Dick,  but  the 
old  gentleman  listened  gravely  and  without  comment. 

"What  do  you  think,  Irene?"  he  asked  when  she 
had  finished. 

"I  think  we  should  all  be  happier  and  freer  from 
restraint  if  Mrs.  Haxton  and  the  Baron  left  us,"  she 
said. 

"I  agree  with  you.  Mrs.  Haxton,  as  a  chaperone, 
can  easily  be  dispensed  with.  You  say  they  have  a 
scheme  drawn  up  for  my  signature  —  setting  forth  the 
number  of  camels,  etc.,  they  need?  Bring  it  to  me. 
We  can  go  through  it  together,  and  you  and  Stump 
can  check  the  actual  splitting  up  of  the  caravan.  Of 
course,  they  know  that  we  have  a  thirty  days'  march 
before  us,  as  compared  with  their  five  or  six,  and  we 
may  also  be  compelled  to  remain  here  another  day  or 
two.  In  the  matter  of  funds  I  shall  be  generous,  at 
any  rate  where  the  woman  is  concerned.  I  believe 
that  von  Kerber  is  a  scoundrel,  that  he  has  led  her 
blindfolded  along  a  path  of  villainy,  and  she  thinks 
now  that  she  cannot  recede.  However,  let  us  see  what 
they  want." 

293 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

He  was  somewhat  surprised  to  find  that  their  de- 
mands were  studiously  moderate.  Their  tent  equipage, 
seven  days'  supplies,  a  dozen  camels,  two  horses,  and 
the  necessary  number  of  men,  made  up  the  list.  Mr. 
Fenshawe  gave  them  sufficient  silver  for  current  ex- 
penses, and  a  draft  payable  in  Aden  for  the  steamer 
and  hotel  charges,  while  he  sent  Mrs.  Haxton  a  note 
offering  her  five  hundred  pounds  when  she  arrived  in 
London,  and  promising  further  assistance  in  the  future 
if  she  shook  herself  free  of  von  Kerber. 

Irene,  who  was  acquainted  with  her  grandfather's 
liberal  intent,  watched  Mrs.  Haxton  closely  while  she 
read  that  kindly  message.  Her  pallid  face  was  un- 
moved. Its  statuesque  rigor  gave  no  hint  of  the 
thoughts  that  raged  behind  the  mask. 

"Tell  Mr.  Fenshawe  that  he  has  acted  exactly  as  I 
expected,"  was  her  listless  reply,  and,  within  five 
minutes,  the  small  cavalcade  started.  Mrs.  Haxton 
elected  to  ride  a  Somali  pony.  She  mounted  unaided, 
forced  the  rather  unruly  animal  to  canter  to  the  head 
of  the  caravan,  and  thus  deliberately  hid  herself  from 
further  scrutiny. 

"Poor  thing!"  murmured  Irene  with  a  sigh  of  relief, 
and  hardly  conscious  that  she  was  addressing  Stump. 
"  I  cannot  help  pitying  her,  though  I  am  glad  she  has 
gone." 

"She  an'  the  Baron  make  a  good  pair,  Miss,"  said 
Stump.  "I've  had  my  eye  on  'em,  an'  they're  up  to 
some  mischief  now,  or  my  name  ain't  wot  it  is." 

The  girl  glanced  at  him  wonderingly,  for  the  sturdy 
294 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

sailor's  outspoken  opinion  fitted  in  curiously  with  her 
own  half-formed  thought. 

"  You  would  not  say  that  if  you  knew  why  they  have 
left  us,"  she  said. 

"  Mebbe  not,  Miss  Fenshawe,  an'  mebbe  you've  on'y 
heard  half  a  yarn,  if  you'll  pardon  my  way  of  puttin' 
it.  Anyway,  the  Baron  is  in  a  mighty  hurry  to  be  off; 
an'  isn't  it  plain  enough  that  he  doesn't  want  to  be 
here  when  Mr.  Royson  comes  back?  You  mark  my 
words,  Miss.  You'll  hear  something  that'll  surprise 
you  when  our  second  mate  heaves  in  sight." 

Never  did  man  prophesy  more  truly,  yet  never  was 
prophet  more  amazed  at  his  own  success.  .  .  . 

Royson  and  Abdur  Kad'r,  flying  for  their  lives, 
spurred  on  by  the  further  knowledge  that  even  if  they 
escaped  capture  or  death  they  yet  had  to  undertake  a 
difficult  journey  on  tired  beasts  if  they  would  save  the 
expedition  from  the  attack  evidently  meditated  by 
Alfieri  and  his  cohort  of  plunderers,  the  two,  then  — 
Englishman  and  Arab  —  rode  like  men  who  valued 
their  necks  but  lightly. 

Bullets  sang  close  to  their  ears,  and  one  actually 
chipped  the  stock  of  Dick's  rifle,  almost  unseating  him 
by  the  force  of  the  blow.  But  the  Bisharins  were 
excited,  and  forgot  their  fatigue  for  a  mile  or  so,  by 
which  time  night  fell,  and  the  uncanny  darkness  soon 
rendered  it  quite  impossible  to  ride  at  all.  They  dis- 
mounted, and  led  the  camels.  Abdur  Kad'r,  true  son 
of  the  desert,  pressed  forward  nimbly,  since  every  yard 
gained  was  a  yard  stolen  from  the  pursuers.  After  a 

295 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

while  they  were  able  to  mount  again,  but  now  the 
jaded  camels  lagged,  and  not  all  the  sheik's  prayers  or 
imprecations  could  force  them  even  into  the  regulation 
pace  of  two  and  a  half  miles  an  hour. 

To  make  matters  worse,  a  hot  breeze  sprang  up  from 
the  south,  and  stirred  the  desert  into  curling  sand- 
wraiths  which  blinded  them  and  made  it  hard  to  detect 
sounds  even  close  at  hand.  They  were  fully  thirty 
miles  distant  from  the  camp,  with  eight  hours  of 
darkness  before  them,  during  which  time  they  could 
hope  to  cover  only  half  the  march.  The  thought 
rose  unbidden  that  the  remaining  half  must  be 
undertaken  in  daylight,  with  wornout  camels,  while 
the  Hadendowa  kafila  was  presumably  in  fresh 
condition. 

Something  of  the  sort  must  have  been  in  Abdur 
Kad'r's  mind  when  he  said: 

"The  misbegotten  thieves  who  follow,  Effendi,  will 
count  on  overtaking  us  soon  after  daybreak.  We  must 
keep  the  water-bags  fastened  until  the  dawn.  Then 
let  the  camels  empty  them." 

Royson  silently  debated  the  chances  for  and  against 
an  endeavor  to  rush  the  journey  on  foot.  If  practica- 
ble, he  would  have  attempted  it,  leaving  the  Arab  to 
save  himself  and  the  camels  by  adopting  a  longer  route. 
He  decided  that  the  project  must  fail.  He  could  not 
find  the  road  at  night,  and  his  thin  boots  would  be  cut 
to  pieces  by  the  rocks  before  he  had  gone  many  miles. 

Yet,  if  they  were  overtaken,  what  would  happen  to 
Irene  and  the  others  ?  A  sharp  pain  gripped  his  breast, 

296 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

and  his  eyes  clouded.  He  threw  back  his  head,  and 
passed  a  hand  over  his  clammy  brow.  The  action 
seemed  to  clear  his  brain,  and  he  saw  instantly  that 
there  was  only  one  course  open  to  him. 

"  Abdur  Kad'r,"  he  said,  when  a  level  space  enabled 
them  to  walk  side  by  side,  *'  which  of  our  camels  is  the 
stronger  ?  " 

"  They  are  both  weary,  Effendi,  but  mine  has  carried 
less  weight  than  yours.  Ere  he  fell  for  the  last  time, 
he  would  lead." 

"  Listen,  then,  and  do  as  I  say.  If  we  are  attacked 
to-night  I  shall  stand  and  face  our  assailants.  You 
ride  on  alone.  I  shall  try  to  gain  a  fair  start  for  you. 
You  know  what  depends  on  your  efforts.  Should  you 
fail,  you  not  only  lose  life  and  fortune,  but  you  also 
endanger  the  lives  of  many.  You  must  reach  the  camp 
by  some  means.  And,  when  you  see  Miss  Fenshawe, 
tell  her  that  my  last  thought  was  of  her.  Do  you 
understand  ?  " 

"Effendi—" 

"  Have  you  understood  my  words  ?  Will  you  deliver 
that  message  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Effendi,  but  we  men  of  the  desert  do  not  fly 
while  our  friends  fight." 

"I  well  believe  it,  Abdur  Kad'r.  Yet  that  is  my 
order.  Will  you  obey  ?  " 

"  I  like  it  not,  Effendi." 

"  There  is  no  other  way.  What  can  you  suggest  that 
will  be  better?  I  remain  —  that  is  a  settled  thing. 
You  gain  nothing  by  not  trying  to  escape.  And  re- 

297 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

member,  these  Arabs  will  think  twice  before  they  slay 
a  European." 

"  They  will  shoot  first  and  think  afterwards,  Effendi." 

"Well,  we  shall  see.  Perhaps  they  have  given  up 
the  chase.  In  case  they  come  upon  us,  lash  your 
camel  into  a  trot,  and  wait  not  for  me,  because  I  shall 
ride  back,  not  forward." 

The  sheikh  muttered  a  comprehensive  curse  on  things 
in  general  and  the  Hadendowa  tribe  in  particular. 
They  stumbled  on  in  silence  for  nearly  two  hours.  At 
the  end  of  that  time  they  descended  a  difficult  slope 
into  a  deep  wady.  Fortunately,  they  had  crossed  it 
by  daylight  early  that  morning,  so  its  hazards  were 
vivid  in  memory.  In  the  rock-strewn  bed  of  the 
vanished  river,  Abdur  Kad'r  halted  a  moment.  The 
light  of  the  stars  was  strong  enough  to  reveal  the 
horizon,  which  was  visible  through  the  fall  of  the 
valley,  and  the  nearer  crests  of  the  neighboring  water- 
shed were  quite  distinct  —  showing  black  against  lumi- 
nous ultramarine. 

"  That  seaward  track  I  spoke  of,  Effendi,  passes  this 
way  to  the  hills.  The  Well  of  Moses  lies  down  there," 
and  the  Arab,  more  by  force  of  habit  than  because 
Royson  could  see  him  in  that  gloomy  defile,  threw  out 
his  chin  towards  the  east. 

Suddenly,  it  struck  Royson  that  provided  he  had 
guessed  aright,  the  Roman  Legion  which  sacked  Saba 
must  have  marched  over  this  identical  spot  in  their 
effort  to  reach  the  Nile.  After  twenty  marches,  von 
Kerber  said,  they  were  waylaid  by  a  Nubian  clan  and 

298 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

slain  —  every  man  —  from  the  proud  tribune  down  to 
the  humblest  hastatus.  Perhaps  they  were  surrounded 
in  some  such  trap  as  this  valley  would  provide.  And 
what  a  fight  that  was!  What  deeds  of  valor,  what 
hewing  and  stabbing,  ere  the  last  centurion  fell  at  the 
head  of  the  last  remnant  of  a  cohort,  and  the  despairing 
Greek  commissary,  gazing  wild-eyed  from  some  nook 
of  safety,  saw  the  Roman  eagle  sink  for  ever! 

Abdur  Kad'r,  little  dreaming  of  the  train  of  thought 
he  had  aroused,  moved  on  again.  Dick  had  drawn 
taut  the  head-rope  of  his  unwilling  camel  when  the 
brute  uttered  a  squeal  of  recognition,  and  both  men 
saw  several  mounted  Arabs  silhouetted  against  the 
northern  sky-line.  An  answering  grunt  came  from 
one  of  their  camels,  and  a  hubbub  of  voices  sank 
faintly  into  the  somber  depths,  as  the  wind  was  not 
felt  in  that  sheltered  place. 

The  sheikh  swore  fluently,  but  Royson  spoke  no 
word  until  they  were  free  of  the  boulders,  and  had 
gained  a  passable  incline  which  led  to  the  steeper  path 
up  the  opposing  cliff. 

"Now,  Abdur  Kad'r  —  "  he  said. 

"Name  of  Allah,  Effendi,  this  thing  must  not  be!" 

"It  must.  Go,  my  good  comrade.  It  is  for  the 
best." 

Abdur  Kad'r  smote  his  camel  on  the  cheek. 

"  I  never  imagined,  Bisharin,  that  thou  would  carry 
me  away  from  a  friend  in  danger,"  he  growled,  "but 
this  is  God's  doing,  and  thou  art  a  rogue  at  all  times. 
I  shall  either  ride  thee  to  death  or  kill  thee  for  a  feast." 

299 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

He  would  not  bid  Royson  farewell.  Dick  heard  him 
tugging  the  camel  forward. 

"Forget  not  my  words  to  the  Effendina,"  he  said 
quietly. 

"  I  shall  not  forget,"  came  a  voice  from  the  darkness, 
and  he  was  alone. 

Though  he  knew  he  was  face  to  face  with  death,  he 
felt  no  tremor  of  fear.  He  surveyed  his  position  coolly, 
and  took  his  stand  in  the  shadow  of  a  mass  of  granite 
close  to  whose  base  the  track  wound  up  the  hillside. 
In  case  the  unexpected  happened,  he  fastened  his  camel 
to  a  loose  stone  behind  the  rock,  and  the  poor  animal 
knelt  instantly,  thinking  that  a  night's  rest  was  vouch- 
safed at  last.  Dick  threw  off  the  Arab  robes  he  had 
worn  since  Abdur  Kad'r  and  he  climbed  the  hill  over- 
looking Suleiman's  Well.  He  opened  and  closed  the 
breech  of  his  heavy  double-barreled  Express  rifle  to 
make  sure  that  the  sand  clouds  had  not  clogged  its 
mechanism,  and  fingered  the  cartridges  in  his  cross- 
belt. 

Then  he  waited.  It  would  take  the  Hadendowas 
fully  five  minutes  to  come  up  with  him,  and  he  expe- 
rienced a  feeling  akin  to  astonishment  that  he  could  bide 
his  time  so  patiently,  without  any  pang  of  anxiety,  or 
hope,  or  agonizing  misgiving.  He  thought  of  Irene, 
but  only  of  her  welfare.  If  he  were  not  brought  down 
by  a  chance  bullet  early  in  the  fray,  he  felt  quite  certain 
of  being  able  to  stave  off  the  final  rush  long  enough  to 
give  Abdur  Kad'r  a  breathing  spell.  He  had  sufficient 
confidence  in  that  wily  old  Arab's  resources  to  believe 

300 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

that  he  would  outwit  his  pursuers,  provided  they  lost  a 
good  deal  of  time  in  passing  this  barrier. 

Plan  he  had  none,  save  to  hail  the  enemy  in  Arabic 
and  English,  and  then  put  up  a  strenuous  fight  for  the 
benefit  of  those  who  approached  nearest. 

Round  the  shoulder  of  the  rock  he  could  look  east- 
ward, and  a  glimmering  mist  in  that  direction  reminded 
him  of  the  sea,  and  of  the  Aphrodite.  What  a  difference 
a  hundred  miles  made!  The  luxuriously  appointed 
yacht  sailed  out  there  in  the  midst  of  the  ghostly  cloud 
not  so  long  ago.  And  here  was  he,  clutching  a  rifle 
and  preparing  to  sell  his  life  in  order  to  save  most  of 
her  passengers  and  crew  from  a  sudden  attack  by  a 
gang  of  bloodthirsty  ruffians  led  by  a  frenzied  Italian. 
As  a  study  in  contrasts  that  was  rather  striking,  he 
fancied. 

At  last  he  heard  the  shuffling  of  camels'  feet  and  the 
mutterings  of  men.  The  Hadendowas  were  crossing 
the  river  bed. 

"Stop!"  he  shouted,  in  Arabic.  "You  die  other- 
wise ! " 

There  was  an  instant  silence.  They  were  evidently 
not  prepared  for  this  bold  challenge. 

"I  am  an  Englishman,"  he  added,  still  in  Arabic, 
and,  in  the  belief  that  some  of  them  might  at  least 
recognize  the  sound  of  English,  he  went  on: 

"You  have  no  right  to  molest  me  and  my  servants. 
I  call  on  you  to  return  to  your  master,  and  set  at  liberty 
the  Arab  Hussain  — ' 

He  was  answered  by  a  perfect  blaze  of  rifles.  Every 
301 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

man  fired  at  random.  At  least  a  dozen  bullets  crashed 
against  the  rock.  A  violent  tug  at  his  left  sleeve  and 
some  spatters  of  hot  lead  on  his  cheek  showed  that  one 
missile  had  come  too  near  to  be  pleasant.  After 
passing  through  his  coat  it  had  splashed  on  the  granite 
just  behind  him. 

He  did  not  speak  again,  nor  would  he  fire  until  sure 
of  a  mark.  Another  volley  lit  the  darkness.  This 
time  he  made  out  the  forms  of  his  attackers.  They 
were  standing  some  twenty  yards  away,  and  he  marveled 
that  they  seemed  not  to  see  him;  though  he  reflected 
at  once,  with  the  utmost  nonchalance,  that  the  blinding 
flash  of  the  guns  screened  him  quite  effectually  from 
their  eyes. 

Then  he  saw  two  dim  figures  moving  swiftly  forward. 
He  brought  both  down,  and  their  yells  rent  the  air. 

He  sprang  sideways,  as  far  as  the  narrow  road  per- 
mitted, and  reloaded.  The  Arabs  aimed  wildly  at  the 
place  where  he  had  just  been  standing.  One  of  their 
number  screamed  a  command,  and  they  made  a  com- 
bined rush.  He  fired  both  barrels  into  their  midst, 
clubbed  his  rifle  and  jumped  forward.  That  was  good 
generalship,  of  the  sort  dear  to  the  heart  of  his  great 
ancestor.  At  the  first  tremendous  sweep  of  his  weapon 
he  broke  off  its  stock  against  an  Arab's  body.  That  did 
not  matter.  The  heavy  barrels  were  staunch,  and  iron 
deals  harder  blows  than  wood.  He  was  active  as  a 
cat,  and  had  the  strength  of  any  four  of  his  adversaries. 
With  lightning-like  whirls  he  smote  them  so  resolutely 
that  when  five  were  laid  low  the  rest  broke  and  ran. 

302 


He  fired  both  barrels  into  their  midst         Page  302 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

He  actually  pursued  them,  and  brought  down  two 
more,  before  he  stumbled  over  the  body  of  one  whom 
he  had  shot. 

And  that  ended  the  fight.  He  heard  men  scrambling 
over  the  rocks  in  panic,  and  he  knew  by  the  grunting 
and  groaning  of  distant  camels  that  all  the  kafila  had 
stampeded.  Searching  the  fallen  man  at  his  feet,  he 
found  a  full  cartridge-belt  and  rifle.  He  took  them, 
lest  there  should  be  further  need,  but  did  not  relinquish 
the  trusty  weapon  which  had  more  than  equalized  an 
unequal  combat. 

Then  he  went  to  his  camel.  The  terrified  brute  had 
risen,  and  was  tugging  madly  at  its  rope.  It  semed  to 
recognize  him,  and  be  grateful  for  his  presence,  if  ever 
a  camel  can  display  gratitude.  He  gave  it  the  contents 
of  the  water-bag,  led  it  to  the  top  of  the  cliff,  and 
stood  there  a  brief  space  to  listen.  Some  wounded 
men  were  calling  loudly  for  help,  and  he  was  sorry  for 
the  poor  wretches ;  but  there  was  no  response  from  their 
flying  comrades.  He  fixed  on  a  star  to  guide  his  course 
by,  mounted,  and  rode  away  to  the  south,  trusting 
more  to  his  camel's  sense  of  direction  than  to  his  own 
efforts  to  keep  on  the  track. 

When  dawn  appeared,  a  dawn  that  was  glorious  to 
him  beyond  measure,  he  caught  sight  of  a  precipitous 
hill  which  he  remembered  passing  on  the  outward 
march.  Looking  back  at  the  first  favorable  point,  he 
could  see  nothing  that  betokened  the  presence  of 
Hadendowas,  or  any  other  human  beings,  in  all  that 
far-flung  solitude.  Were  it  not  for  the  presence  of  the 

303 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

Italian  rifle  and  cartridge-belt,  and  the  blood-stained 
gun-barrels  resting  across  his  knees,  the  fierce 
struggle  in  that  forbidding  valley  might  have  been  the 
delirium  of  a  fever-dream. 

He  rode  on,  munching  contentedly  at  a  biscuit  from 
his  haversack,  until  his  glance  was  drawn  to  a  cloud 
of  dust  hanging  in  the  air,  for  the  unpleasant  wind  of 
the  previous  night  had  given  way  to  a  softer  and  cooler 
breeze.  He  read  its  token  correctly,  and  smiled  at  the 
picture  which  his  fancy  drew  of  Stump,  when  that 
choleric  skipper  heard  what  had  happened  to  his 
second  mate.  Surely  he  would  be  among  those  now 
hurrying  to  the  rescue! 

And  he  was  not  mistaken.  With  Stump  came  Abdur 
Kad'r,  six  of  the  Aphrodite's  crew,  and  a  score  of  well- 
armed  Arabs  and  negroes.  Even  before  they  met, 
Royson  saw  two  Arabs  race  back  towards  the  camp, 
and  Stump,  after  the  first  hearty  congratulations, 
explained  the  hurry  of  those  messengers. 

"It's  mainly  on  account  of  Miss  Irene,"  he  said. 
"She  took  on  something  awful  when  the  sheikh 
blew  in  an'  tole  us  you  had  gone  under.  He  heard 
the  shootin',  you  see,  an',  accordin'  to  his  account, 
you  were  as  full  of  lead  as  Tagg'll  be  full  of  beer 
when  he  listens  to  the  yarn  I'll  spin  nex'  time  we 
meet." 

Abdur  Kad'r's  black  eyes  sparkled  when  Royson 
spoke  to  him. 

"Salaam  aleikum,  Effendi!"  he  cried.  "You  have 
redeemed  my  honor.  Never  again  could  I  have  held 

304 


A  Flight  and  a  Fight 

up  my  head  had  you  been  slain  while  I  ran.  And  that 
shaitan  of  a  camel  —  he  stirred  himself.  By  the 
Prophet,  I  must  kill  an  older  one  to  make  a  feast  for 
my  men." 


305 


CHAPTER  XVII 

HOW  THREE   ROADS   LED   IN   ONE   DIRECTION 

THE  news  that  her  lover  was  safe  restored  the  sparkle 
to  Irene's  eyes  and  the  color  to  her  wan  cheeks.  Fen- 
shawe,  indeed,  had  not  given  her  the  full  measure  of 
Abdur  Kad'r's  breathless  recital.  Recent  events  had 
led  the  old  curio-hunter  to  view  life  in  less  ultra- 
scientific  spirit  than  was  his  habit.  Perhaps  he  had 
re-awakened  to  the  knowledge  that  the  hearts  of  men 
and  women  are  apt  to  be  swayed  by  other  impulses 
than  his  dry-as-dust  interest  in  dead  cities  and  half- 
forgotten  races.  Most  certainly  he  was  shocked  by  the 
agony  in  the  girl's  face  when  she  heard  that  the  sheikh 
had  returned  alone,  and,  if  he  wondered  at  the  low 
wail  of  despair  which  broke  from  her  lips,  he  said 
nothing  of  it  at  the  moment,  but  mercifully  suppressed 
Abdur  Kad'r's  story  of  the  Effendi's  resolve  to  make  a 
stand  against  his  pursuers,  and  thus  enable  his  com- 
panion to  reach  and  warn  the  camp. 

The  version  Irene  heard  was  that  Royson's  camel 
had  fallen  lame,  and  it  was  deemed  safer  he  should 
hide  until  help  came,  than  mount  behind  Abdur  Kad'r 
and  risk  the  slower  journey.  Fenshawe  reasoned  that 
Royson  might  be  captured,  not  killed.  His  long 

306 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

experience  of  Arab  life  told  him  that  the  tribesmen 
would  be  chary  of  murdering  a  European,  for  fear  of 
the  vengeance  to  be  exacted  later.  Nevertheless,  this 
comforting  theory  was  more  than  balanced  by  the 
disquieting  facts  revealed  by  the  sheikh,  who,  as  he 
rode  wildly  to  the  south,  heard  a  sharp  outburst  of 
firing  in  the  valley  behind  him. 

Yet  it  was  well  that  Irene  had  not  been  told  the 
whole  truth,  else  that  anxious  little  heart  of  hers  might 
have  stormed  itself  into  a  fever  of  despair.  As  it  was, 
her  pent  emotions  found  relief  in  tears  of  joy  when  the 
messengers  brought  the  news  of  Royson's  approach 
with  the  rescue  party,  and  her  eyelids  were  still  sus- 
piciously red,  her  lips  somewhat  tremulous,  when, 
standing  by  her  grandfather's  side,  she  welcomed  his 
return. 

Though  a  hundred  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  two  — 
though  some  of  those  eyes  watched  them  with  a  keenness 
inspired  by  the  belief  that  this  reunion  had  in  it  a 
romantic  element  quite  apart  from  the  drama  of  the 
hour  —  their  meeting  apparently  partook  only  of  that 
friendly  character  warranted  by  the  unusual  circum- 
stances. And,  in  the  general  excitement,  none  who 
looked  at  Royson  paid  heed  to  the  hardships  he  had 
undergone.  He  had  hardly  closed  his  eyes  during  two 
nights  and  three  days,  for  the  rest  obtained  while  he 
and  Abdur  Kad'r  awaited  the  outcome  of  Hussain's 
embassy  was  calculated  rather  to  add  to  his  physical 
exhaustion  than  relieve  it.  He  had  covered  eighty 
miles  of  desert  on  scanty  fare,  and  had  fought  a  short 

307 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

but  terrific  fight  against  a  dozen  adversaries.  Yet  his 
cool  demeanor  and  unwearied  carriage  conveyed  no 
hint  of  fatigue  —  to  all  outward  seeming  he  might 
have  been  entering  the  encampment  after  an  ordinary 
march,  when  a  basin  of  water  and  a  change  of  clothing 
were  the  chief  essentials  of  existence.  It  was  not  so, 
of  course.  Were  he  made  of  steel  he  must  have  felt 
the  strain  of  those  sixty  hours,  and  he  almost  yielded 
to  it  when  he  dismounted,  and  Fenshawe  led  him 
inside  the  mess  tent. 

The  older  man  invited  him  to  be  seated,  and  tell  his 
adventures  while  eating  the  meal  which  had  been 
prepared  for  him  and  Stump  as  soon  as  their  camels 
were  seen  in  the  distance.  But  Dick,  half  uncon- 
sciously, still  clutched  the  broken  rifle.  There  were 
blood  stains  on  his  clothing,  which  was  ripped  in  the 
most  obvious  way  by  bullets  that  had  either  wounded 
him  or  actually  grazed  his  skin.  Fenshawe's  keen  old 
eyes  made  a  rapid  inventory  of  these  signs  of  strife, 
and  he  forgot,  in  his  anxiety,  that  Irene  was  present. 

"Good  heavens,  man,"  he  cried,  "you  have  been  in 
the  wars.  Did  those  scoundrels  attack  you,  then? 
Are  you  hurt  ? " 

"No,"  said  Dick,  sinking  into  a  chair,  and  trying  to 
speak  with  his  customary  nonchalance,  "I  am  not 
injured  —  just  a  wee  bit  tired  —  that  is  all." 

Irene  flew  to  his  side.  She  took  the  soiled  gun- 
barrels  from  his  relaxing  grip,  and  began  to  unfasten 
the  collar  hooks  of  his  uniform. 

"  Don't  you  see  he  is  almost  fainting? "she  demanded, 
308 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

reproachfully.  "Bring  some  brandy  and  cold  water, 
quick!  Oh,  Dick,  dear,  speak  to  me!  Are  you  sure 
you  are  not  wounded  ?  If  it  is  only  want  of  food  and 
sleep,  we  can  soon  put  that  right,  but  do  tell  me  if 
you  have  a  wound." 

Dick  smiled,  though  he  knew  his  face  was  white 
beneath  the  dust  and  tan,  and  he  could  not  lift  his 
arms  for  the  life  of  him. 

"I'm  all  right,"  he  whispered.  "I  suppose  I'm 
suffering  from  heart  trouble,  Irene.  Haven't  seen  you 
for  two  nights  and  a  day,  you  know." 

He  must  have  been  a  trifle  light-headed,  or  he  would 
not  have  spoken  to  her  in  that  way  before  her  grand- 
father. Mr.  Fenshawe,  remembering  the  girl's  shyness 
of  the  previous  day,  may  have  thought  a  good  deal, 
but  said  nothing,  seeing  that  Irene  was  supremely 
indifferent  to  either  his  thoughts  or  his  words  at  that 
instant,  while  Royson  seemed  to  be  heedless  of  any 
other  fact  than  the  exceedingly  pleasant  one  that  his 
beloved  was  holding  a  glass  to  his  lips  and  asking  him 
to  gratify  her  by  swallowing  the  contents. 

As  for  Stump,  who  was  not  aware  of  his  second 
mate's  rise  in  the  world,  the  manner  of  their  speech 
affected  him  so  powerfully  that  he  was  in  imminent 
danger  of  an  apoplectic  seizure.  His  condition  was 
rendered  all  the  more  dangerous  because  he  dared 
utter  no  word.  But  he  silently  used  the  sailor-like 
formula  which  applies  to  such  unexpected  situations, 
and  added  certain  other  variations  of  the  rubric  from 
the  extensive  resources  of  his  own  private  vocabulary. 

309 


The  Wheel  o>  Fortune 

He  recovered  his  breath  by  the  time  Dick's  attack  of 
weakness  had  passed,  and  the  color  of  his  face  slowly 
subsided  from  a  deep  purple  to  its  abiding  tint  of  brick 
red. 

"Rather  a  sudden  indisposition,"  said  Fenshawe  to 
Stump,  smiling  quizzically  as  he  watched  Irene  sup- 
porting Royson's  head  while  she  urged  him  tenderly 
to  drink  a  little  more  of  the  stimulant. 

"  Is  that  wot  you  call  it  ?  "  asked  the  captain  of  the 
Aphrodite,  mopping  his  glowing  cheeks  with  a  hand- 
kerchief of  brilliant  hue.  "I  thought  it  was  a  stroke 
of  some  kind,  but  I've  fair  lost  my  bearin's  since  I  gev' 
over  plashin'  at  sea." 

The  amazement  of  the  elders  at  the  manner  in  which 
those  young  people  addressed  each  other  was  slight 
in  comparison  with  the  thrill  Royson  caused  when  he 
had  taken  some  soup,  and  was  prepared  to  do  justice 
to  more  solid  food. 

"  I  had  a  rather  lively  set-to  with  a  number  of  Haden- 
dowas,"  he  explained  in  response  to  a  question  from 
Mr.  Fenshawe.  "It  was  brief  but  strenuous,  and  I 
assure  you  it  is  a  marvel  that  I  came  out  of  it  practi- 
cally without  a  scratch.  At  any  rate,  it  does  not  call 
for  a  detailed  description  now,  seeing  that  I  have 
something  of  vastly  greater  importance  to  tell  you. 
May  I  ask,  sir,  if  you  have  photographs  of  the  papyrus 
in  your  possession  ?  " 

"  Yes.     They  are  in  my  tent.     Shall  I  bring  them  ?  " 

"If  you  please.  I  think  I  have  news  that  will  in- 
terest you." 

310 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

"  One  word  before  I  go.  Abdur  Kad'r  said  that  the 
Italians  had  abandoned  Suleiman's  Well.  Have  they 
found  the  treasure,  do  you  think?" 

"No,  sir.  Just  the  reverse.  I  believe  that  I  have 
found  it  myself,  and,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  Mrs.  Haxton 
and  the  Baron,  from  what  Captain  Stump  tells  me, 
are  now  far  on  their  way  to  the  right  place,  if  they 
have  not  already  reached  it." 

"Wot  did  I  say,  Miss  Irene?"  broke  in  Stump 
fiercely.  "  Oh,  he's  deep  is  that  there  Baron.  I  sized 
him  up  when  he  med  off  yesterday.  An'  Mrs.  Haxton, 
too!  A  nice  pair  of  beauties." 

"Whatever  wrong  Mrs.  Haxton  may  have  done  in 
the  past,  I  refuse  to  believe  that  she  was  swayed  by 
some  merely  selfish  consideration  in  leaving  us  as  she 
did,"  said  Irene  softly,  and  her  grandfather  thanked 
her  with  a  look  as  he  quitted  the  tent. 

Stump  shook  his  head. 

"She's  as  artful  as  a  pet  fox,"  he  growled;  but  he 
had  no  listeners.  Dick  and  Irene  were  far  too  much 
occupied  in  gazing  at  each  other. 

Mr.  Fenshawe  returned  speedily.  He  spread  out 
ten  photographs  on  the  table  in  front  of  Royson. 
With  them  was  a  typewritten  document  divided  into 
ten  sections. 

"That  is  the  English  translation,"  he  explained. 
"  Each  numbered  division  corresponds  with  a  similar 
number  on  a  photograph.  It  simplifies  reference." 

Dick  examined  the  translation  eagerly.  The  first 
slip  of  papyrus  read: 

311 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"In  the  seventh  year  of  the  reign  of  the  renowned 
Emperor,  C.  Julius  Caesar  Octavianus,  I.  Demetri- 
ades,  son  of  Pelopidos,  merchant  of  Syracuse,  being  at 
that  time  a  trader  in  ivory  and  skins  at  Alexandria,  did 
foolishly  abandon  my  wares  in  that  city,  and  join  the 
legion  sent  from  Egypt  to  subdue  the  people  of  Shaba." 

He  saw  that  the  letters  in  the  word  "seventh," 
though  writ  in  archaic  Greek,  bore  the  same  space 
relation  to  the  neighboring  characters  as  did  all  others 
in  the  script.  Reading  on  carefully  until  he  came  to 
the  first  leaf  of  the  papyri  in  which  the  "Five  Hills" 
were  named,  he  observed  instantly  that  the  word 
"pente,"  five,  had  its  letters  crowded  together.  Now 
the  Greek  for  seven,  hepta,  has  only  four  characters, 
the  aspirate  being  marked  over  the  initial  vowel. 
This  same  crowding  of  "pente"  was  discernible  each 
time  it  occurred  in  the  text.  It  was  a  coincidence  that 
was  too  intrusive.  The  obvious  explanation  was  that 
"hepta"  had  been  deleted  and  "pente"  substituted  in 
every  instance,  and  the  fraud  had  not  been  detected 
because  the  rest  of  the  Greek  writing  was  absolutely 
genuine.  The  hieroglyphs  in  cartouches,  which  von 
Kerber  had  admittedly  tampered  with,  were  beyond 
Royson's  ken. 

He  was  so  taken  up  with  this  confirmation  of  his 
views,  and  so  eager  to  make  clear  the  queer  chance 
that  led  Abdur  Kad'r  to  explain  the  name  of  the  Well 
of  Moses,  that  he  was  blind  to  the  growing  wrath  in 
Mr.  Fenshawe's  face  until  he  happened  to  catch  the 
indignant  note  in  the  older  man's  voice  as  he  bade  a 

312 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

servant  summon  the  sheikh.  Then  a  single  glance 
told  him  what  he  had  done.  The  wounded  vanity  of 
the  famous  Egyptologist  had  risen  in  its  might,  and 
swept  aside  all  other  considerations.  The  man  of 
wealth  could  permit  his  charitable  instincts  to  govern 
the  scorn  evoked  by  the  Austrian's  petty  tactics,  but 
the  outraged  enthusiasm  of  the  collector  was  a  torrent 
that  engulfed  charity  and  expediency  alike  in  its  flood. 
Nothing  short  of  the  most  painstaking  personal  exami- 
nation of  the  oasis  at  the  Well  of  Moses  would  now  con- 
vince the  millionaire  that  von  Kerber  had  not  tricked 
him  at  the  eleventh  hour. 

Though  the  expedition  was  in  Italian  territory, 
though  he  was  aware  that  a  tribe  of  hostile  Arabs  was 
already  hovering  on  the  outskirts  of  the  camp,  though 
the  presence  of  Irene  rendered  it  imperative  that  he 
should  not  risk  the  attack  which  would  probably  be 
made  that  night,  these  urgent  conditions  of  the  moment 
did  not  prevail  in  the  least  degree  against  the  madden- 
ing suspicion  that  the  self-confessed  forger  who  had 
duped  him  had  put  the  seal  on  a  piece  of  clever  ras- 
cality by  exploiting  the  real  treasure-ground  for  his 
own  benefit. 

Royson  was  far  from  expecting  this  development. 
Yet,  now  that  it  had  occurred,  he  saw  that  it  was 
inevitable.  Before  Abdur  Kad'r  appeared  he  guessed 
why  Mr.  Fenshawe  wanted  him  in  such  a  hurry. 
Irene,  who  had  never  known  her  grandfather  to  be 
so  greatly  disturbed,  whispered  earnestly  to  her 
lover : 

313 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"  If  grandad  wishes  you  to  follow  von  Kerber,  you 
must  be  too  ill  to  do  anything  of  the  sort." 

"Then  I  shall  remain  here  alone,"  said  he,  smiling 
at  her  dismay.  "  Unless  I  am  much  mistaken  we  shall 
all  be  hot  on  his  track  before  we  are  many  hours 
older." 

He  was  right.  When  the  sheikh  came  he  received 
orders  to  prepare  for  an  instant  march  towards  the 
coast  by  way  of  the  caravan  route.  Then  the  burning 
zeal  of  archeology  received  a  check. 

"  It  is  impossible  that  the  kafila  should  move  in  that 
direction  before  to-morrow's  dawn,  O  worthy  of  honor," 
said  Abdur  Kad'r  emphatically.  "We  can  march 
south  to-day,  if  Allah  wills  it,  knowing  that  we  shall 
find  food  and  water  within  fifteen  kilometers  without 
fail.  To  reach  the  Well  of  Moses  is  a  different  thing. 
I  have  not  seen  the  place  during  thirty  years.  We 
must  travel  early  and  late,  and  carry  with  us  a  water 
supply  that  will  not  only  suffice  for  the  journey  but 
safeguard  us  against  any  failure  of  the  well  when  we 
arrive  there.  What  proof  have  we,  Effendi,  that  it  is 
not  choked  with  sand  ?  " 

Fenshawe  was  too  skilled  in  the  varying  contin- 
gencies of  desert  life  not  to  admit  the  truth  of  the 
sheikh's  reasoning,  but  he  held  to  the  belief  that  von 
Kerber  had  secret  information  as  to  the  practicability 
of  the  route. 

"  Be  it  so,"  he  said  curtly.  "  Let  every  preparation 
be  made.  We  have  no  cause  to  fear  these  dogs  of 
Hadendowas.  I  charge  myself  with  the  care  of  the 

314 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

camp  where  they  are  concerned.  See  to  it,  Abdur 
Kad'r,  that  we  start  ere  sunrise." 

The  conversation  was  in  Arabic,  so  Stump  could 
not  gather  its  drift.  When  he  learnt  his  employer's 
intentions  he  roared  gleefully: 

"  By  gad,  sir,  I'm  pleased  to  'ear  you're  makin'  for 
blue  water  once  more.  Just  for  a  minute  I  fancied 
you  was  tellin'  our  brown  pilot  to  shove  after  von 
Kerber,  an'  string  'im  up." 

Mr.  Fenshawe  laughed  grimly. 

"The  rogue  deserves  it,  but  I  cannot  take  the  law 
into  my  own  hands,  captain,"  he  said. 

"Oh,  that  wasn't  botherin'  me,"  was  the  offhand 
answer.  "  I  was  on'y  wonderin'  where  you  would  find 
a  suitable  tree." 

Fenshawe  bent  over  the  table,  and  asked  Royson 
to  go  through  the  papyri  with  him,  comparing  the 
Greek,  word  for  word,  with  the  translation.  He  him- 
self was  able  to  decipher  the  hieroglyphs,  but  the 
details  and  measurements  they  gave  might  be  dis- 
missed as  unreliable.  Depending,  however,  on  the 
context,  and  having  ascertained  from  Abdur  Kad'r 
that  the  seven  small  lava  hills  at  Moses's  Well  stood 
in  an  irregular  circle  near  the  oasis,  it  was  a  reasonable 
deduction  that  the  Romans  had  selected  a  low-lying 
patch  of  sand  or  gravel  somewhere  in  the  center  of  the 
group  as  a  suitable  hiding-place  for  their  loot.  It 
might  be  assumed  that  JSlius  Gallus  meant  to  sail 
down  the  Red  Sea  again,  within  a  year  at  the  utmost, 
and  recover  the  spoil  when  his  galleys  were  there  to 

315 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

receive  it.  Therefore,  he  would  not  dig  too  deeply, 
nor,  in  the  straits  to  which  he  was  reduced,  would  he 
waste  many  hours  on  the  task. 

Fenshawe  infected  Dick  with  his  own  ardor.  The 
two  were  puzzling  over  each  turn  and  twist  of  the 
Greek  adventurer's  awkward  phrases  when  Irene, 
who  had  gone  out  with  Stump,  interrupted  them. 

"  Dick,"  she  said,  blushing  poppy  red  because  she  used 
his  familiar  name,  "  you  must  go  and  rest  at  once.  I  am 
sure,  grandad,  you  don't  want  Mr.  Royson  to  break 
down  a  second  time,  do  you  ?  And  I  would  like  both  of 
you  to  know  that  Baron  von  Kerber  took  with  him  no 
pickaxes.  Captain  Stump  and  I  have  just  checked 
our  stock.  That  seems  to  be  in  his  favor,  I  think  ? " 

"If  I  have  done  von  Kerber  an  injustice  I  shall  be 
the  first  to  ask  his  pardon,"  said  Fenshawe.  "At 
present,  I  have  every  cause  to  doubt  the  man's  motives 
in  leaving  us,  and  I  want  more  than  negative  proof  to 
acquit  him  of  dishonesty.  By  the  way,  Irene,  have 
you  told  Royson  of  his  good  fortune  ?  " 

"I  have  hardly  spoken  two  words  to  him  since  he 
arrived,"  said  she  innocently. 

"Dear  me!  That  sounds  like  a  strong  hint,"  and 
Fenshawe  very  considerately  left  the  two  alone.  Tired 
as  Dick  was,  the  best  part  of  an  hour  elapsed  before 
Irene  could  explain  fully  that  he  was  now  a  baronet, 
with  a  reasonably  large  income,  or  he  could  make  her 
understand  exactly  why  he  was  a  somewhat  frayed 
out-of-work  when  they  met  in  London. 

Perhaps  there  were  interludes  and  interruptions, 
316 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

Perhaps  he  thought  that  the  limpid  depths  of  her 
brown  eyes  offered  more  attractions  than  the  sordid 
records  of  a  foolish  man's  spite  and  a  boy's  sufferings. 
At  any  rate,  it  was  Irene  who  finally  insisted  that  this 
must  positively  be  the  last,  and  who  threatened  that 
she  would  not  speak  to  him  again  that  day  if  he  stirred 
out  of  his  tent  before  dinner. 

And,  indeed,  Dick  required  no  rocking  when,  after 
a  refreshing  wash,  he  stretched  his  long  limbs  in  his 
hammock.  His  sleep  was  dreamless.  He  awoke  at 
sundown  strong  in  the  conviction  that  he  had  hardly 
closed  his  eyes. 

He  and  Stump  shared  the  tent,  and  Dick's  uncer- 
tain gaze  first  dwelt  on  his  skipper,  who  was  seated 
at  the  door,  smoking.  Stump  removed  his  pipe  from 
between  his  teeth: 

"Good  evenin',  Sir  Richard,"  he  said  solemnly. 
Then  the  huge  joke  he  had  been  cogitating  ever  since 
Irene  informed  him  at  luncheon  that  Royson  was  now 
a  man  of  title  mastered  him  completely. 

"Sink  me,"  he  burst  forth,  "I've  had  some  daisies 
of  second  mates  under  me  in  me  time,  but  I've  never 
bossed  a  bloomin'  barrow-knight  afore.  My  god- 
father! Won't  Becky  be  pleased!  An'  wot '11  Tagg 
say  ?  Pore  old  Tagg !  He'll  'ave  a  fit ! " 

"  Look  here,  captain  — "  began  Dick,  swinging  his 
feet  to  the  ground.  But  Stump's  slow-moving  wits, 
given  full  time  to  get  under  weigh,  were  working  freely; 
punctuating  each  pause  with  a  flourish  of  his  pipe,  he 
continued  : 

317 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"Lord  love  a  duck,  I  can  see  Tagg  bio  win'  in  to  a 
snug  in  the  West  Injia  Dock  Road,  an'  startin'  ev'ry 
yarn  with,  'Wen  I  sailed  down  the  Red  Sea  with  Sir 
Richard  —  •'  or,  'We  was  goin'  through  the  Gut  on  a 
dirty  night,  an'  Sir  Richard  sez  to  me  — '  Well,  there, 
I  on'y  hope  'e  survives  the  fust  shock.  Wen  'e  gets 
'is  wind  we'll  'ave  a  fair  treat.  Mind  ye,  I  'ad  a  sort 
of  funny  feelin'  when  you  tole  me  in  the  train  you  was 
my  second  mate,  an'  you  sat  there  a-wearin'  knickers. 
It  gev  me  a  turn,  that  did.  An'  then  you  took  another 
twist  at  me  by  sayin'  you'd  never  bin  to  sea.  I  knew 
things  was  goin'  to  happen  after  that.  It  must  ha'  bin, 
wot  d'ye  call  it  —  second  sight  —  for  I  knew  then  an' 
there  I'd  got  a  prize  in  the  lottery — " 

"Oh,  shut  up!"  shouted  Royson,  diving  frantically 
for  his  boots. 

"That's  no  way  for  a  barrow-knight  to  talk  to  'is 
admirin'  skipper,"  said  Stump.  "But  I  s'pose,  now, 
it  sounds  queer  to  'ave  me  a-callin'  you  Sir  Richard, 
w'en,  as  like  as  not,  I  might  be  dammin'  your  eyes  as 
second  mate  ?  " 

Royson  tried  to  escape.  In  his  hurry  he  did  not 
notice  a  bulky  letter  which  lay  on  the  top  of  one  of  his 
leather  trunks.  Stump  called  him  back. 

"You're  missin'  your  mail,  Sir  Richard,"  he  said, 
and  Dick,  perforce,  returned.  Oddly  enough,  the 
letter  covered  the  initials  "R.  K."  painted  on  the 
portmanteau.  Turning  a  deaf  ear  to  Stump's  further 
pleasantries,  he  opened  the  envelope.  A  scrawl  on  a 
sheet  of  thin  continental  note-paper  contained  the  brief 

318 


How   Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

statement  that,  "by  inadvertence,"  von  Kerber  had 
"detained  the  enclosed  letters  and  cablegrams."  The 
enclosures,  which  were  from  Mr.  Forbes,  bore  out  the 
accuracy  of  Mrs.  Haxton's  revelations.  He  was,  in 
very  truth,  the  twenty-seventh  baronet  of  his  line,  sole 
owner  of  Orme  Castle  and  its  dependencies,  and  be- 
fitted, by  rank,  descent,  and  estate,  to  take  a  social 
position  of  no  mean  order. 

For  an  instant  he  forgot  his  surroundings.  He 
recalled  the  stately  old  house  and  its  beautiful  park 
as  he  had  last  seen  it,  with  all  its  glories  rejuvenated 
by  the  money  that  was  pouring  in  to  the  coffers  of  his 
detested  relative.  And  now  that  malign  old  man  was 
at  rest,  after  a  tardy  admission  of  the  grievous  evil  he 
had  wrought  to  his  brother's  wife  and  son.  Well, 
peace  be  to  his  crooked  bones!  Dick  could  have 
wished  him  safely  in  Paradise  if  the  wish  would  restore 
to  life  his  beloved  mother.  And  she,  dear  soul  — 
though  he  had  forgotten  her  last  night  —  perhaps  her 
gentle  spirit  was  shielding  him  as  he  stood  with  his 
back  to  the  rock  and  faced  the  vicious  swarm  of  Arabs 
in  the  darkness. 

Then  Stump's  gruff  accents  broke  in  on  his  dreaming. 

"Is  it  O.K.,  Sir  Richard?"  he  asked.  "Them's 
the  papers  von  Kerber  held  up,  I  reckon  ?  Have  ye 
got  a  clean  bill?" 

Royson  stooped  and  grasped  Stump's  shoulder. 

"When  we  reach  England,  skipper,"  he  said,  "you 
and  Tagg,  and  Mrs.  Stump,  too,  for  that  matter,  must 
come  and  see  my  place  in  the  North.  An'  I'll  tell  ye 

319 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

wot,"  he  went  on,  with  fair  mimicry  of  Stump's  voice 
and  manner,  "you'll  all  'ave  the  time  of  your  lives, 
sink  me,  if  you  don't!" 

Stump  glared  up  at  him.  No  man  had  ever  before 
dared  to  reproduce  that  hoarse  growl  for  his  edifica- 
tion, and  the  effect  was  electrical.  It  might  be  likened 
to  the  influence  exercised  on  a  bull  by  the  bellow  of  a 
rival.  He  took  breath  for  a  mighty  effort  —  and 
Royson  fled. 

Be  sure  that  Irene,  though  vastly  occupied  with 
work  which  von  Kerber  had  performed  hitherto  — 
those  small  but  troublesome  items  appertaining  to  the 
daily  life  of  a  large  encampment  —  had  an  eye  to  watch 
for  Dick's  reappearance.  She  hailed  him  joyfully: 

"Such  news!  The  enemy  proclaims  a  truce.  Al- 
fieri  has  sent  in  Hussain  and  Abdullah,  not  to  mention 
the  purloined  camel.  And  one  of  his  own  men  has 
brought  a  note  for  grandfather,  asking  an  early  con- 
ference." 

At  first,  Royson  was  unfeignedly  glad  of  this  un- 
locked for  turn  in  events.  He  did  not  share  Mr. 
Fenshawe's  optimism  in  the  matter  of  a  night  attack 
by  the  Hadendowas,  because  Irene  was  there  —  and 
who  could  hope  to  shield  her  beyond  risk  of  accident 
when  long-range  rifles  were  sniping  the  camp? 

Alfieri's  letter  was  civil  and  apologetic.  He  ex- 
plained that  he  had  no  quarrel  with  the  English  leader 
of  the  expedition  —  his  feud  lay  with  the  Austrian  and 
the  woman  who  had  helped  to  despoil  him  (Alfieri) 
of  his  rights.  He  felt  assured,  he  said,  that  Signer 

320 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

Fenshawe  —  whose  fame  as  an  Egyptologist  was  well 
known  to  him  —  would  not  be  a  consenting  party  to 
fraud,  and  he  wished,  therefore,  to  arrange  a  meeting 
for  the  following  day,  when  he  would  state  his  case 
fully,  face  those  who  had  robbed  him,  and  leave  the 
final  decision  with  confidence  in  the  hands  of  one  whose 
repute  made  it  certain  that  justice  would  be  done. 

The  appeal  was  written  in  hardly  intelligible  English, 
but  an  Italian  version  accompanied  it,  and  Irene  was 
able  to  translate  every  word  of  the  latter. 

"Of  course,  grandad  agreed,"  said  Irene.  "He 
has  fixed  on  seven  o'clock  to-morrow  for  the  con- 
ference. I  am  looking  forward  with  curiosity  to 
seeing  Alfieri  again.  I  remember  him  perfectly. 
Captain  Stump  and  I  had  a  good  look  at  him  in  Mas- 
sowah,  you  know." 

"  Has  the  messenger  gone  back  already  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes.     He  left  the  camp  two  hours  ago." 

"  Did  he  speak  to  any  of  our  men  ?  " 

"He  may  have  done  so.  I'm  not  sure.  We  were 
so  taken  up  with  Alfieri 's  communication  that  we  gave 
no  heed  to  the  Arab.  But  grandad  said,  by  the  way, 
that  it  was  just  as  well  he  should  see  our  strength,  and 
that  we  had  a  dozen  armed  sailors  here,  in  addition 
to  so  many  natives.  You  are  worrying  about  me,  I 
suppose  ?  Allow  me  to  observe  that  I,  as  staff  officer, 
have  assisted  the  commander-in-chief  to  divide  our 
forces  into  two  strong  guards  for  the  night.  Grand- 
father commands  one,  Captain  Stump  the  other,  while 
you,  O  King,  have  to  sleep  soundly  until  the  dawn." 

321 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

"But  I  have  just  slept  eight  hours!" 

"Oh,  well,  being  on  the  staff,  I  also  arranged 
that  we  should  mount  guard  together  until  eleven 
o'clock." 

It  went  against  the  grain  to  dash  her  high  spirits 
with  the  doubt  that  had  seized  him  as  soon  as  he  heard 
of  the  Hadendowa  Arab's  departure.  In  all  proba- 
bility, the  man  had  found  out  that  von  Kerber  and 
Mrs.  Haxton  were  no  longer  in  the  camp.  The  negro 
syces  and  other  attendants  were  inveterate  gossips, 
and  it  would  be  strange  if  they  had  not  told  him  that 
some  of  their  number  were  marching  towards  the  sea 
with  the  Hakim-Effendi  and  one  of  the  Giaour  women. 
What  would  happen  were  this  knowledge  to  come  to 
Alfieri's  ears?  The  man  who  had  not  scrupled  to 
order  the  pursuit  and  capture  —  the  death,  if  need  be 
—  of  Royson  himself  and  Abdur  Kad'r,  was  not  a 
stickler  at  trifles.  It  was  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
he  was  making  overtures  of  peace  solely  because  his 
scouts  had  revealed  the  size  of  the  expedition.  How 
would  he  act  under  these  fresh  circumstances  ?  Judg- 
ing by  the  pact,  there  could  be  only  one  answer. 

"Now  what  is  it?"  pouted  Irene,  trying  to  assume 
an  injured  air  when  she  saw  the  grave  look  in  her 
lover's  face.  "Perhaps  you  don't  care  for  the  eleven 
o'clock  idea?  I  thought  you  would  like  to  sit  and 
smoke,  and  tell  me  everything  that  happened  since  — 
since  I  said  good-by  to  you  the  other  evening,  but,  of 
course  — 

"If  you  gaze  at  me  so  reproachfully,  Irene,  I  shall 
322 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

kiss  you  now,  this  instant,  under  the  eyes  of  every  man, 
horse,  and  camel." 

"  Well,  then,  what  is  the  matter  ?  I  know  something 
is  worrying  you.  I  can  read  your  face  like  a  book." 

"I  distrust  Alfieri,  dearest, —  that  is  all." 

"But  he  simply  dare  not  fight  us.  Grandad  knows 
these  Arabs  for  many  years.  He  says  that  they  depend 
wholly  on  a  surprise.  And  how  can  we  be  surprised, 
when  Alfieri  himself  admits  that  he  is  near,  and  has 
actually  sent  Abdullah,  who  can  tell  us  the  exact  num- 
ber of  his  men  ?  " 

"I  think  I  shall  call  you  Portia,  not  Irene,  if  you 
reason  things  out  in  that  fashion." 

She  stamped  a  foot  in  mock  anger. 

"That  is  your  old  trick,"  she  said.  "You  try  to 
hide  your  thoughts  by  an  adroit  twist  in  the  conversa- 
tion. Out  with  it !  What  do  you  really  fear  ?  " 

"  Let  us  find  Abdullah.     Then  I  shall  tell  you." 

The  Spear-thrower,  though  polite,  was  not  disposed 
to  be  communicative.  The  absence  of  the  two  people 
who  were  his  allies  had  puzzled  him,  and  none  of  the 
Arabs  could  meet  his  inquiries  as  to  the  motives  which 
led  to  their  sudden  journey.  In  this  man's  attitude 
Royson  found  ample  corroboration  of  his  own  estimate 
of  Alfieri's  views  under  similar  conditions.  Abdullah 
obviously  did  not  believe  that  von  Kerber  had  aban- 
doned the  quest.  He  fancied  he  was  betrayed.  If  the 
chance  offered,  he  might  be  expected  to  throw  in  his 
lot  with  Alfieri. 

Though  Irene  was  listening,  and  Dick  was  sure  she 
323 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

had  hit  on  the  true  cause  of  his  anxiety,  he  determined 
to  win  Abdullah's  loyalty.  So  he  told  him  of  Mr. 
Fenshawe's  resolve  to  follow  the  seaward  route. 

"  Your  interests,  whatever  they  may  be,  are  absolutely 
safe  if  you  trust  us,"  he  said.  "The  Baron  is  only 
two  marches  ahead  of  us.  He  does  not  know  we  are 
going  the  same  way.  He  thinks  we  are  making  for 
Pajura,  so  we  will  most  certainly  overtake  him  at  the 
coast,  if  not  earlier.  Thus,  you  can  convince  yourself 
of  his  good  faith,  and  you  can  see  for  yourself  that  the 
ultimate  decision  of  affairs  must  rest  with  us." 

The  Arab  bowed,  but  he  kept  a  still  tongue.  Yet  he 
admitted  afterwards  that  Royson's  words  had  diverted 
him  from  his  fixed  intent  to  steal  off  when  night  fell, 
and  urge  Alfieri  to  pursue  the  runaways. 

The  Italian  needed  no  urging.  Dick  advised  Mr. 
Fenshawe  to  send  out  two  men  on  horseback  in  order 
to  locate  the  Hadendowas.  Hussain,  who  was  ac- 
quainted with  the  country,  volunteered  for  this  duty, 
and  he  and  his  companion  came  in  at  midnight  with 
the  depressing  report  that  Alfieri  and  his  free-booters 
were  not  to  be  found  on  the  main  track  to  Suleiman's 
Well. 

By  this  time,  not  only  Fenshawe  and  Irene,  but 
Stump  and  Abdur  Kad'r,  when  called  into  counsel, 
shared  Dick's  foreboding.  It  was  impossible  to  do 
anything  before  dawn,  and  the  sole  difficulty  that 
remained  was  to  decide  whether  they  should  march 
when  the  first  streaks  of  light  showed  in  the  sky,  or 
await  the  hour  fixed  for  the  interview  with  Alfieri. 

324 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

They  resolved  to  leave  Hussain  and  a  few  trustworthy 
men  at  the  oasis,  with  instructions  to  remain  there  until 
eight  o'clock.  If  Alfieri  kept  his  tryst,  they  were  to 
give  him  a  letter,  written  by  Irene,  which  asked  him  to 
follow  and  join  the  expedition.  Otherwise,  they  were 
to  ride  after  the  caravan  at  top  speed,  and  report  his 
non-arrival. 

So  Dick  and  Irene  missed  that  agreeable  watch  under 
the  stars,  and  their  thoughts,  instead  of  being  given  to 
each  other,  were  centered  on  the  unlucky  fortune- 
hunters  whom  accident  or  design  had  separated  from 
them. 

Yet,  when  the  sun  rose  over  the  desert,  it  was  ex- 
hilarating enough  to  find  themselves  riding  side  by 
side  once  more.  The  order  of  march  was  simple  but 
well  designed.  Abdur  Kad'r,  in  command  of  several 
Arabs  on  Bisharin  camels,  provided  a  mounted  screen 
half  a  mile  in  front.  Fenshawe,  Royson  and  Irene,  with 
some  of  the  sailors,  formed  the  advance  guard.  Then 
came  the  kafila  proper,  with  the  remainder  of  the 
Aphrodite's  crew,  under  Stump's  charge,  as  a  rear- 
guard. They  had  halted  for  breakfast,  and  were  pre- 
paring for  another  long  march  before  the  heat  of  the 
sun  enforced  a  rest,  when  Hussain  overtook  them. 
At  eight  o'clock  Alfieri  had  not  visited  the  rendezvous, 
nor  was  he  to  be  seen  an  hour  later  from  the  summit 
of  the  last  hill  which  gave  a  view  of  the  oasis. 

Ill  news  is  little  the  better  because  it  is  expected, 
and  every  one  was  wishful  to  push  on  as  quickly  as 
possible.  But  the  desert  was  inexorable  in  its  limita- 

32$ 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

tions.  Great  speed  means  great  exhaustion,  and 
consequently  greater  demand  for  water.  Neverthe- 
less, they  risked  the  chance  of  a  dry  spell  at  the  journey's 
end,  and,  finally,  despite  Irene's  protests  against  being 
left  behind,  Royson  and  Abdullah,  with  six  of  the 
Aphrodite 's  men,  and  Abdur  Kad'r,  at  the  head  of 
thirty  picked  Arabs,  went  on  at  a  spanking  pace. 
They  were  now  on  the  actual  caravan  path,  having 
reached  it  by  a  cross-country  line.  According  to  the 
sheikh's  calculations,  they  were  ten  miles  from  the 
Well  of  Moses  at  four  o'clock,  and  sunset  would  take 
place  at  half -past  six.  The  road  was  a  bad  one,  and 
their  camels  were  beginning  to  lag,  but  they  counted 
on  reaching  the  ancient  camping-ground  about  half 
past  five.  Abdullah  was  the  first  to  discover  recent 
signs  of  a  large  kafila  having  passed  that  way.  He  it 
was,  too,  who  raised  a  warning  hand  when  they  emerged 
from  a  wide  valley  and  crossed  a  plateau,  which, 
roughly  speaking,  was  three  miles  from  the  well. 

They  halted,  and  strained  eyes  and  ears.  They 
could  see  nothing,  owing  to  a  few  scattered  hummocks 
in  front,  but  they  caught  distinctly  the  irregular  thuds 
of  distant  rifle-firing.  That  was  enough.  Careless 
of  the  rough  going,  or  the  condition  of  their  camels  at 
the  close,  they  raced  ahead  madly.  There  was  no 
question  now  of  the  odds  they  might  have  to  face. 
Though  the  Hadendowas  were  well  armed,  and  out- 
numbered them  by  two  to  one,  Royson  felt  that  the 
presence  of  the  Englishmen,  all  of  whom  were  ex- 
sailors  of  the  Royal  Navy,  would  nerve  his  Arab 

326 


How  Three  Roads  led  in  One  Direction 

helpers  to  attack  and  defeat  Alfieri's  band  of  cut- 
throats. Moreover,  von  Kerber  and  his  small  escort 
were  evidently  making  a  fight  of  it,  and,  while  day- 
light lasted,  the  Hadendowas,  once  discovered,  would 
endeavor  to  shoot  down  their  quarry  at  a  safe  range 
rather  than  undergo  the  certain  loss  of  an  open  assault. 
How  long  could  the  unequal  contest  be  maintained  — 
that  was  the  question  that  tortured  Dick.  Many 
times  during  that  wild  ride  he  asked  it,  and  the  only 
answer  he  received  was  given  by  despair.  It  came  to 
him  through  a  spume  of  dust  and  flying  sand,  and  the 
rattle  of  accouterments,  and  the  plaints  of  frenzied 
camels,  and  the  yells  and  curses  of  the  strangely- 
assorted  company  of  deliverers  as  they  plunged  across 
the  desert  towards  the  Well  of  the  Seven  Hills.  And 
its  discordant  shriek  was,  "  Too  late !  Too  late !  The 
gods  have  frowned  on  the  pillagers  of  Suba,  and  the 
wrath  of  the  gods  is  everlasting!" 


327 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE   FINDING   OF  THE   TREASURE 

ROTSON,  a  soldier  by  instinct  if  not  by  training, 
realized  the  folly  of  dashing  blindly  into  a  fray  the 
nature  of  which  was  hidden  from  him.  Though  the 
plight  of  his  erstwhile  companions  must  be  desperate 
—  though  the  lengthening  shadows  warned  him  that 
the  time  ran  short  —  it  was  all-important  that  he 
should  learn  the  manner  and  direction  of  the  attack, 
and  the  means  adopted  by  von  Kerber  for  repelling  it, 
ere  the  presence  of  the  relieving  force  became  known. 
He  had  heard  much  of  the  fighting  qualities  of  the 
Hadendowas.  They  were  brave,  but  they  were  not 
given  to  throwing  their  lives  away  uselessly.  Judging 
by  the  steady  crackling  of  musketry,  they  were  "  eating 
up"  the  smaller  contingent  with  the  least  possible 
risk  to  themselves.  They  were  quite  capable  of  de- 
livering a  fierce  charge  when  they  witnessed  the  ap- 
proach of  the  rescuers,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  they 
might  allow  the  newcomers  to  combine  with  von 
Kerber,  and  depend  on  their  rifle  fire  to  dispose  of  the 
reinforced  defense.  He  must  decide  quickly,  once  he 
knew  the  conditions,  and  it  was  imperative,  therefore, 
that  something  in  the  nature  of  a  reconnaissance  should 

328 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

be  conducted  from  the  shoulder  of  the  rising  ground 
which  terminated  the  plateau.  By  shouting  to  Abdur 
Kad'r  and  signaling  to  his  own  men,  Dick  managed 
to  check  the  furious  onward  rush  of  the  detachment. 
It  was  no  easy  matter  to  stop  the  excited  camels.  The 
stubborn  brutes  were  equally  unwilling  either  to  travel 
at  such  a  rate  or  to  abandon  it.  Before  the  sky-line 
was  reached,  however,  they  were  pulled  up.  Royson, 
Abdur  Kad'r  and  Abdullah  dismounted,  and  ran 
rapidly  to  the  crest,  dodging  behind  rocks  and  broken 
ground  until  they  secured  a  clear  view  of  the  panorama 
in  front.  It  was  a  singular  and,  in  one  respect,  a 
disconcerting  scene  that  met  their  anxious  gaze. 

The  only  practicable  road  descended  rapidly  towards 
an  immensely  wide  and  shallow  depression.  Conceiv- 
ably, this  basin  might  have  been  formed  by  the  subsi- 
dence of  the  land  all  round  an  extinct  volcano,  whose 
one-time  activity  was  revealed  by  a  cluster  of  small 
cones  in  the  distance.  Running  due  east,  and  passing 
north  of  the  crater  thus  curiously  marked,  was  the 
arid  river-bed  which  created  the  oasis,  and  rendered 
possible  the  well  which  gave  its  name  to  the  place. 
Unfortunately,  the  group  of  lava  hillocks  was  situated 
much  beyond  the  center  of  the  hollow.  They  were 
commanded  by  small  hills  on  three  sides,  and,  though 
capable  of  defense  in  some  respects,  they  offered  the 
grave  disadvantage  of  being  in  a  circle.  Consequently, 
the  only  section  secure  from  an  enemy's  fire  was  that 
on  the  western  side,  and  it  was  evident  that  the  de- 
fenders had  found  this  to  be  actually  the  case.  They 

329 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

were,  of  course,  clearly  visible  from  the  ridge,  where, 
unknown  to  them,  the  leader  of  a  strong  relief  was  then 
lying  in  the  cleft  of  a  rock  split  to  its  base  by  extremes 
of  heat  and  cold. 

Dick  counted  the  cones.  There  were  seven  of  them. 
Though  fully  a  mile  and  a  half  distant,  he  could  see 
Mrs.  Haxton  sitting  between  two  huge  boulders.  Von 
Kerber  was  near  her,  and  the  few  Arabs  with  them 
were  scattered  among  the  rocks  in  positions  whence 
they  could  return  the  incessant  fusillade  poured  on 
them  from  the  hills.  Their  camels  were  huddled  in  a 
hollow  between  the  two  westerly  mounds,  and,  so  far 
as  Royson  could  judge,  the  little  party  had  not  yet 
sustained  many  casualties.  But  the  tactics  of  their 
assailants  were  quite  obvious.  The  Hadendowas, 
silently  and  unseen,  had  occupied  the  higher  ground 
on  the  north,  east,  and  south.  They  had  probably 
stampeded  the  unsuspecting  kafUa  from  the  open  oasis, 
because  a  couple  of  tents  and  some  camp  equipage 
still  stood  there,  and  it  was  their  intent  to  creep  nearer, 
pushing  the  horns  of  an  ever-closing  crescent  steadily 
westward,  until  a  junction  effected  just  before  sunset 
would  permit  of  a  successful  rush.  Indeed,  all  doubt 
on  this  point  was  dispelled  by  the  discovery  of  two 
strong  companies  of  Hadendowas  gathering  on  the 
reverse  slopes  of  the  nearest  hills.  They  were  mounted, 
mostly  on  camels.  They  did  not  reveal  their  existence 
by  taking  part  in  the  firing.  They  seemed  to  be 
waiting  some  signal  before  they  rode  out  into  the 
plain,  to  complete  the  merciless  ring  which  would 

330 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

then  surround  the   doomed   occupants   of  the  Seven 
Hills. 

There  was  not  a  moment  to  be  lost,  and  Royson, 
having  formed  his  plan,  put  it  into  instant  operation. 
He  and  the  six  sailors  would  be  the  first  to  cross  the 
sky-line,  while  a  few  Arabs  would  accompany  them, 
but  hurry  back  as  soon  as  they  were  visible,  giving  the 
impression  that  they  had  gone  to  summon  others.  The 
men  from  the  Aphrodite  would  ride  straight,  at  top 
speed,  towards  the  beleaguered  party.  Two  minutes 
later,  Abdur  Kad'r  was  to  lead  half  his  Arabs  over  the 
ridge  and  make  for  the  enemy's  right  wing,  while,  after 
a  similar  interval,  Abdullah,  at  the  head  of  the  remain- 
ing detachment,  would  similarly  dash  into  sight  and 
advance  against  the  enemy's  left.  The  opposing  force 
would  thus  see  three  successive  waves  of  rescuers,  each 
apparently  stronger  than  its  predecessor,  coming  from 
the  only  direction  whence  succor  was  possible.  Alfieri 
and  his  followers  were  well  aware  already  of  the  strength 
of  Mr.  Fenshawe's  expedition.  If  they  imagined  that 
it  was  advancing  in  its  full  numbers,  they  might  break 
and  run  without  firing  another  shot.  If,  however,  they 
showed  fight,  Abdur  Kad'r  and  Abdullah  had  most 
stringent  orders  not  to  pursue  the  flanking  parties, 
which  they  would  certainly  drive  in  on  the  main  body. 
They  were  to  converge  towards  the  hillocks,  where 
Royson  would,  by  that  time,  have  brought  hope  and 
renewed  courage  to  their  hard-pressed  friends.  Then, 
granted  that  the  Hadendowas  dared  a  general  attack, 
the  whole  force,  rescuers  and  rescued,  were  to  fall  back, 

331 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

converting  the  struggle  into  a  rear-guard  action,  and 
compelling  the  Hadendowas  to  relinquish  the  advantage 
of  the  higher  ground.  Once  they  came  into  the  open, 
Royson  counted  on  the  superior  shooting  of  his  six 
sailors  —  all  marksmen  of  the  Royal  Navy  —  to  turn 
the  scale  unmistakably  in  his  favor,  while  his  Arabs 
had  the  confidence  of  knowing  that  each  mile  they 
gained  in  the  retreat  brought  them  nearer  the  powerful 
caravan  in  the  rear. 

The  scheme  was  excellent  in  every  way.  Under 
ordinary  conditions  it  would  have  achieved  success, 
but  the  sane  mind  can  never  take  into  reckoning  the 
vagaries  of  the  insane,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that 
Alfieri,  worn  alike  by  hardship  and  long  brooding  over 
his  wrongs,  either  went  stark  staring  mad  at  the  spec- 
tacle of  relief  being  forthcoming  for  those  whom  he 
believed  to  be  entrapped,  or  gave  instant  rein  to  the 
frenzy  already  consuming  him. 

At  a  moment,  then,  when  it  was  suicidal  to  attempt 
an  attack  which  his  men  had  refused  to  carry  out 
under  the  much  less  dangerous  conditions  that  pre- 
vailed all  day  —  it  was  ascertained  afterwards  that  the 
first  shower  of  bullets  fell  into  the  startled  camp  about 
ten  o'clock  that  morning  —  at  that  moment,  Alfieri, 
screaming  curses  in  Italian  and  Arabic,  called  on  those 
nearest  to  follow  him,  and  rode  out  from  the  shelter 
of  one  of  the  small  hills.  In  sheer  excitement,  a  few 
Hadendowas  obeyed  his  wild  command.  They  had 
not  far  to  go,  but  the  rocky  water-course  barred  the 
track  and  they  must  cross  it  slowly.  Now,  above  all 

332 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

else,  was  the  time  for  the  sorely-tried  little  band  under 
von  Kerber  to  stand  fast.  They  could  have  shot  at 
their  leisure  Alfieri  and  each  man  of  the  half  dozen  who 
came  with  him.  Already  three  groups  of  yelling  men 
were  stirring  the  dust  into  life  as  they  scampered  to 
the  rescue  across  the  comparatively  level  floor  of  the 
basin.  In  five  minutes,  or  less,  the  Hadendowa  attack 
would  be  rolled  back  into  the  hills,  and  neither  friend 
nor  foe  had  any  other  thought  than  that  the  whole  of 
Mr.  Fenshawe's  kafila  was  pouring  its  irresistible  power 
into  the  fray. 

The  situation  was  precisely  one  of  the  suddenly- 
arising  and  acute  crises  in  warfare  which  accentuate 
the  difference  between  races.  While  von  Kerber,  and 
Mrs.  Haxton,  too,  for  that  matter,  saw  the  urgent  need 
of  prolonging  the  desperate  strife  for  just  those  few 
minutes,  their  Arabs,  after  fighting  coolly  and  bravely 
throughout  an  exhausting  day,  now  quite  lost  their 
heads.  Heedless  of  the  Austrian's  prayers  and  impre- 
cations, heedless  of  Mrs.  Haxton's  shrill  appeal  that 
they  should  beat  off  the  few  assailants  then  perilously 
close  at  hand,  they  yielded  to  the  blind  instinct  of 
self-preservation,  and  rushed  pell-mell  for  the  camels. 
At  once  these  men  of  a  martial  tribe,  men  who  had 
cheerfully  faced  the  far  greater  danger  of  the  Haden- 
dowa general  attack,  became  untrammeled  savages, 
each  striving  like  a  maniac  to  secure  a  mount  for 
himself,  and  careless  whether  or  not  his  employers  and 
comrades  escaped  also. 

Many  of  the  camels  were  wounded,  some  were  dead, 
333 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

and  valuable  time  was  wasted,  even  in  this  disgraceful 
sauve  qui  pent,  in  a  deadly  struggle  for  possession  of 
such  animals  as  could  move.  Von  Kerber,  when  it 
was  borne  in  on  him  that  to  obtain  a  camel  meant  life 
for  Mrs.  Haxton  and  himself,  shouted  to  her  to  keep 
close  to  him,  and  ran  in  front  of  a  mounted  Arab  who 
had  emerged  from  the  melee.  He  ordered  the  man  to 
halt,  and,  so  near  were  Royson  and  his  tiny  squadron 
just  then,  that  the  camel  might  have  brought  all  three 
into  safety.  But  the  Arab  bent  his  head,  and  urged 
the  swaying  beast  into  a  faster  trot.  Von  Kerber  fired 
at  him,  and  the  unhappy  tribesman  tumbled  from  his 
perch  like  a  dummy  figure.  Snatching  at  the  camel's 
head-rope,  the  Austrian  lifted,  almost  threw  Mrs. 
Haxton  up  to  the  saddle.  Owing  to  its  height  from 
the  ground,  it  was  impossible  to  place  her  there  securely, 
but  she  helped  him  bravely,  scrambled  somehow  to  the 
awkward  seat,  and  stooped  to  drag  him  up  behind. 
She  had  succeeded,  by  main  force.  The  excited  beast 
was  plunging  forward  again  to  get  away  from  the 
affrighting  turmoil  close  to  its  heels,  when  a  heavy 
thud  shook  the  huge  frame,  the  camel  fell  to  its  knees, 
lurched  over  on  its  side,  and  threw  both  riders  heavily. 
Von  Kerber  alone  rose.  He  was  dazed  for  an  instant, 
but  he  seemed  to  have  a  dim  consciousness  of  the 
quarter  from  which  mortal  peril  threatened,  for  he 
turned  and  faced  Alfieri,  who  had  reined  in  the  Somali 
pony  he  rode  and  was  taking  deliberate  aim  at  his 
enemy.  The  Italian  carried  a  repeating  rifle.  It  was 
he  who  had  brought  down  the  camel  with  a  well-judged 

334 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

shot  through  the  lungs,  and,  with  the  same  venomous 
accuracy,  he  now  sent  a  bullet  through  von  Kerber's 
breast.  The  stricken  man  dropped  on  all  fours,  and 
glared  up  at  his  murderer.  Then,  nerving  himself  for 
a  supreme  effort  of  hate,  he  raised  his  own  revolver 
and  fired  three  times  at  Alfieri.  Twice  he  missed, 
owing  to  the  restiveness  of  the  horse,  but  the  third 
shot  hit  the  Italian  in  the  center  of  the  fore- 
head. 

When  Royson  found  them,  they  were  lying  within  a 
few  feet  of  each  other.  Alfieri  was  dead.  His  pale 
student's  features,  softened  by  the  great  change,  wore 
a  queer  look  of  surprise.  Von  Kerber  was  alive,  but 
dying.  He  had  fallen  on  his  face,  and  Dick  lifted 
him  gently,  resting  the  drooping  head  against  his 
knee. 

"  Are  you  badly  wounded  ?  "  he  asked,  knowing  well 
by  the  ashen  pallor  beneath  the  bronze  of  the  desert 
that  the  man's  stormy  life  was  fast  ebbing  to  its  close. 
A  dreadful  froth  bubbled  from  von  Kerber's  lips,  and 
the  words  came  brokenly: 

"  That  Italian  beast  —  I  hit  him,  yes  ?  " 

"I  suppose  so.  I  could  not  see  what  happened. 
But  he  is  dead.  Pay  no  heed  to  him.  Tell  me  what 
is  best  to  be  done  for  you." 

"Dead!  Ach,  lieber  Gott!  That  is  good.  .  .  .  I  — 
I  am  finished  —  /  know.  .  .  .  Go  to  Mrs.  Haxton. 
Tell  her  .  .  .  the  treasure  .  .  .  Fenshawe  will  be 
generous.  ..." 

And  that  was  all.  He  did  not  die  instantly,  but 
335 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

consciousness  failed,  and  the  soul  soon  fluttered  out  of 
the  limp  body  with  a  sigh. 

Dick  laid  the  inanimate  form  on  the  desert.  He 
went  to  look  for  Mrs.  Haxton.  She  was  stretched, 
apparently  lifeless,  beneath  the  camel's  shoulder. 
Royson  seized  the  huge  beast  by  the  neck  and  flung 
it  aside  bodily.  So  far  as  he  could  judge,  she  was 
uninjured,  though  he  feared  the  camel  might  have 
broken  one  of  her  limbs  or  fractured  a  rib,  because  his 
first  thought  was  that  the  animal  had  fallen  on  top 
of  her.  But  his  anxiety  was  soon  dispelled  when  he 
forced  some  of  the  contents  of  his  water-bottle  between 
her  set  teeth.  She  sobbed  twice,  and  her  bosom  rose 
and  fell  spasmodically.  Then,  with  a  sudden  return 
to  the  full  use  of  her  senses  which  was  almost  uncanny, 
she  wrested  herself  free  from  his  arms  and  shrank 
away,  quivering,  while  her  eyes  gazed  at  him  with 
awful  questioning.  As  she  looked  she  seemed  to  un- 
derstand that  this  man  who  had  held  her  so  tenderly 
was  not  the  man  whom  she  feared  to  see.  The  reaction 
was  too  great.  Dick  watched  the  glance  of  recognition 
fading  away  into  insensibility.  With  a  little  gasp,  she 
fainted  again,  but  he  knew,  this  time,  that  her  collapse 
was  the  natural  sequel  to  the  ordeal  she  had  gone 
through.  He  roughly  bundled  a  camel  cloth  into  a 
pillow,  laid  her  head  on  it,  and  gave  the  attention  that 
was  necessary  to  events  elsewhere. 

He  had  appreciated  the  fatal  error  of  the  friendly 
Arabs  in  deserting  their  stronghold.  Though  he  and 
his  companions  pressed  on  at  a  dangerous  speed,  they 

336 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

could  do  nothing  to  stop  the  panic.  Some  of  the 
runaways  almost  charged  into  them,  and  seriously 
interfered  with  their  view  of  the  advancing  Haden- 
dowas.  That  was  only  for  a  moment,  but  seconds  are 
precious  when  men  are  shooting  at  point-blank  range, 
and  Royson  was  lashing  an  Arab  out  of  his  path  at 
the  instant  Alfieri  fired  the  first  shot  at  the  double- 
laden  camel.  The  Hadendowas  scattered  and  fled 
when  they  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  white  faces.  But 
they  did  not  get  away  unscathed.  Slipping  out  of 
their  saddles,  four  of  the  Aphrodite's  crew  opened  fire, 
and  brought  five  of  the  robber  tribesmen  headlong  to 
earth,  while  the  sixth  saved  his  skin  by  falling  with  his 
wounded  camel  and  skulking  unnoticed  to  the  hills 
along  the  water-course.  As  for  the  remainder,  the 
flanking  parties  bolted  before  Abdur  Kad'r  or  Abdullah 
could  get  within  striking  distance,  and  from  that  hour 
no  sensible  Hadendowa  came  near  the  Well  of  Moses 
for  many  a  month. 

In  fact,  Royson  found  that  his  own  men  were  already 
standing  quietly  in  a  group,  waiting  for  orders,  and  the 
two  detachments  of  caravan  Arabs  were  coming  in 
from  the  wings  in  accordance  with  his  preconcerted 
plan.  Some  of  the  bolting  escort  were  returning. 
They  looked  shamefaced  when  they  passed  von  Kerber 
lying  dead  on  the  ground.  One  of  them,  a  Hadji,  who 
wore  the  green  turban  and  black  cloak  of  a  pilgrim  to 
Mecca,  began  to  murmur  an  explanation  to  Royson, 
but  the  giant  Effendi  gave  him  such  a  glance  of  scorn 
and  anger  that  the  man  made  off,  lest  the  evil  from 

337 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

which  he  had  fled  might  yet  befall  him.  In  the  imme- 
diate foreground  were  several  prostrate  forms,  mostly 
Arabs  injured  in  the  fight  for  the  camels,  and  so  gravely 
wounded  that  they  could  not  move.  A  struggling  camel 
or  two,  screaming  and  kicking  in  agony,  seemed  to  be 
strangely  out  of  place  in  the  peaceful  hush  which 
instantly  enfolded  the  desert.  The  shouting  and  mus- 
ketry that  made  pandemonium  there  a  few  minutes 
earlier  had  vanished.  The  tops  of  the  more  distant 
mountains  were  glowing  in  purple  and  gold,  and  the 
blue  of  the  sky  was  deepening.  In  that  brief  hour 
before  the  utter  darkness  that  follows  sunset  the  desert 
has  a  rare  beauty.  It  has  lights  and  shades  denied  to 
softer  landscapes.  Titania's  bower  can  show  no  more 
brilliant  color  effects.  It  is  then  a  fit  background  for 
romance  and  mystery,  but  it  breathes  no  hint  of  war 
or  death,  and  such  things  wear  a  sacrilegious  aspect 
when  brought  forcibly  into  those  fairy-like  surround- 
ings. 

Royson,  though  he  had  watched  the  transformation 
of  rock  and  arid  earth  many  a  time  with  kindling  eyes, 
gave  small  heed  to  the  dream-face  of  nature  as  he 
scanned  the  splendid  prospect  for  sign  of  further 
attack  by  the  Hadendowas.  He  found  none,  but  he 
happened  to  note  the  furtive  manner  of  some  among 
the  Arab  escort  who  were  hastening  toward  the  small 
hollow  enclosed  by  the  Seven  Hills. 

Then  he  remembered  why  this  solitary  place  had 
become  a  Golgotha.  The  hapless  von  Kerber  was 
disinterring  the  treasure  when  the  Hadendowa  assault 

338 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

began.  In  all  likelihood,  had  the  free-booters  ridden 
boldly  up  in  the  first  instance,  the  fight  would  have 
ended  in  less  minutes  than  it  had  occupied  hours. 
And  these  other  ghouls,  before  they  were  driven  off 
by  a  hail  of  lead,  had  leamt  what  store  of  wealth  was 
buried  there  beneath  the  sand. 

"Chaytor,"  said  Royson,  addressing  one  of  the  crew 
who  had  acted  as  quartermaster  on  board  the  yacht, 
"take  three  men  and  mount  guard  over  any  trench  or 
other  excavation  you  may  find  in  the  valley  between 
those  mounds.  Let  no  Arab  even  approach  the  place. 
Use  force  if  necessary,  but  try  and  avoid  any  shooting. 
I  shall  join  you  there  before  sunset." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  said  Chaytor.  He  named  three  men, 
and  the  four  hurried  to  their  post.  Bidding  the  other 
two  sailors  help  him,  Royson  turned  to  carry  out  a 
disagreeable  task.  Von  Kerber,  Alfieri,  and  the  rest 
must  be  buried  while  there  was  yet  light.  He  meant 
to  make  a  rough  inventory  of  documents  and  letters 
found  in  the  pockets  of  the  Europeans.  The  Arabs 
would  scoop  shallow  graves  where  the  sand  was  deepest, 
and  pile  heavy  stones  over  the  bodies  to  protect  them 
from  jackals.  Such  was  the  simple  ceremony  of  the 
desert.  And  it  demanded  haste. 

But  a  distressing  sight  awaited  him.  Mrs.  Haxton 
was  kneeling  by  von  Kerber's  side,  and  weeping  in  a 
heart-broken  way.  He  went  to  her,  and  said,  almost 
in  a  whisper: 

"You  can  do  no  good  by  remaining  here.  Won't 
you  go  to  the  tent  that  is  fixed  in  the  oasis,  and  wait 

339 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

there  until  I  join  you?  I  shall  not  be  long.  You 
understand  —  it  is  for  the  best." 

She  raised  her  streaming  eyes,  and  he  had  never 
before  seen  such  a  grief-stricken  face. 

"Mr.  Royson,"  she  murmured  dully,  "let  me  pray 
yet  a  little  while." 

"Indeed  I  am  sorry  for  you,"  he  said.  "Yet  I 
must  urge  you  to  go.  We  have  not  a  moment  to 
lose." 

"  To  lose  ?     What  else  can  happen  ?  " 

"The  night  is  coming.  We  cannot  leave  the  bodies 
here.  It  would  be  too  horrible." 

"Ah,"  she  sighed,  "there  is  no  horror  to  equal  mine. 
I  have  the  blood  of  three  men  on  my  soul." 

She  suffered  him  to  lead  her  away.  He  tried  to 
console  her  by  throwing  all  the  responsibility  on  to  the 
Italian.  But  he  felt  that  this  palsied  woman  scarce 
listened  to  his  words.  He  was  almost  glad  to  leave 
her  alone  with  her  mournful  thoughts.  In  active  work 
he  could  find  distraction  from  the  sad  influences  of  this 
fatal  treasure-hunt.  There  were  still  many  things  he 
did  not  comprehend,  but  he  resolutely  dismissed  all 
self-communing.  Perhaps,  when  the  first  paroxysm  of 
woe  had  exhausted  itself,  Mrs.  Haxton  might  explain; 
meanwhile,  he  must  endeavor  to  hide  the  chief  features 
of  the  tragedy  ere  Irene  arrived. 

When  he  moved  Alfieri's  body  in  order  to  examine 
his  clothing,  he  saw  that  the  man's  coat  was  torn  at 
the  breast,  the  cloth  having  caught  a  jagged  rock  as 
its  wearer  fell  from  the  saddle.  Through  this  rent  a 

340 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

pocketbook  and  some  papers  had  slipped  out.  They 
were  resting  on  a  little  sand  drift  at  the  base  of  the 
rock  that  had  caused  the  damage.  The  pocketbook 
was  open.  Some  of  the  sand  had  entered  its  com- 
partments. And,  in  one  of  them,  were  the  papyrus 
leaves  found  in  the  tomb  of  Demetriades,  the  Greek, 
whose  mortal  eyes  were  the  last  that  had  gazed  on  the 
treasure  of  Sheba!  In  truth,  here  was  one  of  the 
world's  dramas,  with  its  scenes  divided  by  two  thousand 
years,  yet  the  parched  desert  was  content  to  wait  there 
placidly,  in  sure  and  certain  knowledge  that  the  curtain 
would  rise  again  on  that  grim  play,  whether  the  years 
were  few  or  many  between  the  acts.  How  little  changed 
was  the  stage.  But  what  of  the  actors  ?  Did  the 
modern  troupe  differ  so  greatly  from  the  two-thousand- 
year-old  cast  —  the  merchant  in  ivory  and  skins  who 
quitted  his  quiet  business  at  Alexandria  to  seek  adven- 
ture and  gold,  the  Romans  who  went  to  kill  and  plunder 
an  inoffensive  people,  the  Nubians  who  waylaid  them, 
and  left  their  bones  to  bleach?  Assuredly,  looking  at 
the  dozen  or  more  dead  bodies  stretched  in  a  row  at 
his  feet,  Royson  deemed  mankind  as  unchangeable  as 
the  desert. 

At  two  o'clock,  when  the  stars  and  a  new  moon  were 
dimly  lighting  the  circle  of  hills,  an  Arab  vedette  re- 
ported the  approach  of  a  large  kafila  from  the  west. 
Soon  the  jingle  of  accouterments  and  the  cries  of 
camels  who  scented  the  oasis  heralded  the  arrival  of 
the  main  body.  When  Dick  lifted  a  weary  Irene  from 

341 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

the  saddle  he  made  no  pretense  of  shyness,  but  kissed 
her  quite  heartily. 

Yet  Dick's  tidings  caused  grave  faces  in  the  small 
circle  round  the  camp-fire.  Mr.  Fenshawe,  as  respon- 
sible leader  of  the  expedition,  felt  the  weight  of  this 
added  burthen  of  death.  There  was  no  gainsaying 
the  fact  that  he  had  been  dragged  into  an  unlawful 
enterprise.  He  was  in  Italian  territory  against  the  will 
of  the  authorities.  Though  he  and  those  under  his 
control  were  guiltless  of  actual  wrong-doing,  it  was 
exceedingly  unfortunate  that  Alfieri  had  not  lived  to 
make  a  deposition.  The  treasure-seekers  must  now 
depend  on  the  testimony  of  the  wounded  Hadendowas, 
four  of  whom  had  surrendered  voluntarily,  for  the  one 
great  principle  which  the  East  has  learnt  from  the 
West  is  that  Europeans  usually  show  humanity  to  a 
disabled  foe.  Abdullah,  too,  assured  the  millionaire 
that  the  Italian  officer  who  accompanied  Alfieri  from 
Massowah  warned  the  latter  against  any  act  of  violence, 
and  would  have  restrained  him  from  undertaking  an 
apparently  useless  search  if  the  instructions  received 
from  Rome  had  not  directed  that  "every  assistance 
was  to  be  given  to  Signer  Giuseppe  Alfieri." 

There  could  be  no  manner  of  doubt  that  the  Italian 
had  begun  an  unprovoked  attack  on  the  smaller  kafila. 
His  only  messengers  were  bullets,  and  the  orders  he 
issued  to  the  Hadendowas  were  definite.  The  whole 
party  was  to  be  exterminated,  with  the  exception  of 
Mrs.  Haxton,  who  was  to  be  taken  alive  if  possible. 
Again,  there  was  direct  evidence  of  his  duplicity  with 

342 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

regard  to  the  meeting  arranged  for  that  morning. 
Fenshawe's  friendly  letter  was  found  among  his  papers, 
so  he  had  hurried  from  his  camp  on  the  Suleiman's 
Well  route  with  the  deliberate  intention  of  wiping  out 
of  existence  the  man  who  was  his  sworn  enemy.  Still, 
the  affair  wore  an  ugly  look,  and  tired  though  he  was, 
Fenshawe  had  no  thought  of  rest  until  the  contradictory 
elements  of  a  most  perplexing  business  were  sifted. 

He  was  seated  near  the  fire  with  Royson  and  Stump. 
Irene  had  gone  to  Mrs.  Haxton  the  instant  she  heard 
Dick's  tragic  story. 

"Has  Mrs.  Haxton  thrown  any  light  on  events?" 
Fenshawe  asked.  "  You  say  she  was  completely  broken 
down.  Did  you  gather  from  her  words  that  von 
Kerber  brought  her  here  knowing  that  this  oasis  was 
the  place  described  by  the  Greek?" 

"She  did  not  even  mention  the  treasure.  Perhaps 
I  could  have  induced  her  to  speak,  but  — " 

"You  forbore.  I  am  glad  of  it.  Has  any  of  the 
loot  been  discovered  ?  " 

"It  was  dark  when  I  visited  the  trench  von  Kerber 
was  cutting.  Alfieri  sent  a  volley  at  him,  and  stopped 
the  work  before  much  was  done,  but  the  Arabs  tell  me 
that  some  leather  wallets  are  visible.  The  men  who 
were  here  this  morning  know  that  the  contents  are 
valuable,  so  I  have  stationed  an  armed  guard  there." 

"  I  wish  I  could  destroy  every  vestige  of  the  wretched 
stuff.  There  is  a  curse  on  it." 

Fenshawe's  tone  revealed  how  deeply  he  was  moved. 

"Where  is  Abdullah?"  he  cried  suddenly.  "If  he 
343 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

will  tell  us  the  truth,  we  may  reach  firm  ground  in  the 
midst  of  all  this  morass  of  lies  and  treachery.  Send  for 
him.  He  is  an  Arab,  and,  if  he  thinks  his  interests  are 
bound  up  with  ours,  he  will  speak." 

Abdullah,  surveying  the  conclave  from  afar,  had 
arrived  at  an  opinion  that  justified  this  estimate. 
His  first  words  shed  light  on  a  dark  place  in  the  records 
of  the  two  men  who  were  lying  side  by  side  in  the 
safe  keeping  of  the  desert.  His  command  of  French 
rendered  conversation  easy,  except  to  Stump,  and  he 
was  quite  explicit. 

"  Madam  is  beautiful,  is  it  not  ?  "  he  said,  indicating 
Mrs.  Haxton's  tent  by  a  graceful  gesture  "Seven 
years  ago,  she  was  the  most  beautiful  woman  in  Egypt. 
Her  husband  should  not  have  brought  her  here.  By 
Mahomet,  Egypt  is  no  place  for  the  good-looking  wife 
of  a  poor  man.  That  is  the  cause  of  all  the  trouble, 
messieurs.  Elegant  birds  require  gilded  cages,  and 
Monsieur  Haxton  had  not  money  enough.  I  met  them 
first  in  Massowah,  where  she  lived  in  the  hotel,  while 
her  husband  went  up  and  down  the  Red  Sea  in  a  ship. 
Alfieri  was  there,  and  he  also  was  poor,  but  he  ruined 
himself  in  trying  to  win  her  away  from  Monsieur 
Haxton.  He  failed,  and,  like  many  another  man,  that 
only  made  him  worse.  When  Monsieur  Haxton  was 
sent  to  Assouan  by  a  new  company,  Alfieri  went  there, 
too.  It  was  at  that  time  I  found  the  papers  which 
tell  about  the  treasure  — 

"How  do  you  know  they  tell  about  the  treasure?" 
broke  in  Fenshawe. 

344 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

"  Because  I  stole  them  from  Monsieur  Haxton,"  was 
the  cool  reply.  "  I  had  sold  them  to  Monsieur  Alfieri, 
and  he  gave  them  to  Madame's  husband.  Monsieur 
le  Baron  was  his  doctor,  and  a  friend,  but,  when  he 
found  out  how  valuable  those  papers  were,  he  hired 
me  to  secure  them  from  Monsieur  Haxton's  bureau 
while  he  slept.  Unfortunately,  there  was  an  accident. 
Monsieur  Haxton  was  in  a  fever,  and  the  doctor  gave 
him  a  sleeping  draft.  Monsieur  Haxton  took  too 
much,  and  he  never  woke  again." 

Fenshawe's  face  grew  dark  with  anger. 

"You  scoundrel!"  he  cried.  "Between  you,  you 
poisoned  the  man.  I  recollect  the  incident  now.  I 
saw  it  in  the  papers  at  the  time." 

"You  are  wrong,  Monsieur,"  said  Abdullah  calmly. 
"There  was  an  inquiry,  and  it  was  proved  that  the 
draft  was  only  a  strong  one  —  quite  harmless  if  the 
doctor's  written  orders  were  obeyed.  True,  none  but 
I  and  the  Baron  knew  why  the  Englishman  should 
sleep  so  soundly  that  night,  but  it  was  not  meant  to 
kill  him.  Monsieur  Alfieri  charged  the  doctor  with 
having  committed  a  crime,  so  Monsieur  Haxton's 
friends  had  the  affair  fully  examined  into.  It  was 
really  an  accident.  Monsieur  le  Baron  was  exceedingly 
grieved." 

"But  he  kept  the  papers?"  was  Fenshawe's  grim 
comment. 

"  By  the  Kaaba,  and  why  not  ?  Here  was  Monsieur 
Alfieri  trying  to  hang  him,  and  all  because  Madame 
would  not  have  anything  to  do  with  him.  You  see, 

345 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

there  was  every  reason  why  the  Hakim  Effendi  should 
get  the  papers.  Monsieur  Haxton  was  fool  enough  to 
tell  Alfieri  something  about  them." 

"  Probably  Monsieur  Haxton  meant  to  play  the  part 
of  an  honest  man." 

"  It  may  be.  Who  knows  ?  Yet  it  is  certain  that 
Alfieri  would  never  have  shared  the  treasure  with 
Monsieur  Haxton  if  he  had  known  what  the  writing 
was  about.  On  the  other  hand,  Monsieur  le  Baron 
told  Madame  everything,  and  he  promised  me  a  good 
share  for  helping  him.  When  he  went  to  England  he 
left  me  to  watch  Alfieri.  They  were  always  enemies, 
those  two." 

Dick  remembered  the  letter  in  Arabic  he  had  seen 
von  Kerber  reading  on  the  night  they  met  in  the  Aus- 
trian's house.  And  he  recalled,  too,  with  a  shiver, 
Mrs.  Haxton's  agonized  words  when  he  tried  to  lead 
her  away  from  the  dead  man  who  had  dared  so  much 
for  her  sake.  She  had  "  the  blood  of  three  men  on  her 
soul,"  she  said.  One  of  those  men  was  her  husband. 
In  that  dark  hour  what  terrible  shadows  had  trooped 
from  the  tomb  to  torture  her!  He  said  nothing  to  his 
companions.  She  knew.  He  only  guessed,  and  he 
left  it  at  that. 

Next  day  many  hands  completed  the  task  von  Kerber 
had  begun.  But  Fenshawe  had  made  up  his  mind  on 
a  course  of  action,  and  he  adhered  to  it  rigidly.  The 
list  given  by  Demetriades  was  almost  correct.  One 
hundred  and  seventy  wallets  were  brought  to  light, 

346 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

just  two  less  than  the  number  stated  by  the  Greek. 
They  were  left  unopened.  Exactly  as  they  were  taken 
from  the  sand  so  were  they  sealed  and  set  aside  until 
transportation  details  were  arranged.  Mr.  Fenshawe 
pointed  out  to  the  men  from  the  Aphrodite  how  impor- 
tant it  was  that  the  treasure  should  be  made  over  to 
the  Italian  Government  intact.  By  that  means  alone 
could  their  story  be  justified,  and  he  guaranteed  that 
no  one  should  suffer  financial  loss  by  reason  of  his 
decision. 

Mrs.  Haxton  was  too  ill  to  be  either  questioned  or 
consulted.  She  was  carried  to  the  sea  almost  at  death's 
door,  and  her  ultimate  recovery  was  doubtful  even  a 
fortnight  later,  when  the  Aphrodite  brought  them  all 
to  Aden.  And  it  may  be  said  here  that  the  monetary 
value  of  the  treasure  was  not  great  —  its  utmost  figure 
being  placed  at  £50,000.  The  two  missing  wallets 
were  those  containing  the  gems.  Probably  that  was 
another  story  which  the  desert  has  in  safe  keeping. 
The  Italian  Foreign  Office  behaved  generously  to  the 
disappointed  archeologist.  He  was  acquitted  from 
any  blame  in  regard  to  the  affray  at  the  Well  of  Moses, 
and  he  was  asked  to  select  for  his  own  collection  twelve 
of  the  ancient  Persian  and  Indian  gold  vases  which 
formed  the  chief  prizes  of  the  hoard. 

But  that  was  long  afterward,  when  Sir  Richard  and 
Lady  Royson  were  on  their  honeymoon  trip  to  Japan, 
when  Captain  and  Mrs.  Stump,  attended  by  the  faithful 
Tagg,  had  enjoyed  the  "  time  of  their  lives "  at  Orme 
Castle,  and  when  Mrs.  Haxton,  elegant  as  ever,  but 

347 


The  Wheel  o'  Fortune 

very  quiet  and  reserved  in  manner,  was  living  in  a  tiny 
villa  at  Bath,  where  Mr.  Fenshawe's  munificence  had 
established  her  for  the  remainder  of  her  days.  She 
said,  and  there  was  no  reason  to  disbelieve  her,  that 
von  Kerber  had  no  knowledge  of  the  identity  of  the 
oasis  at  the  Well  of  Moses.  He  went  that  way  to  the 
sea  by  sheer  accident  and  became  half  crazy  with 
excitement  at  the  sight  of  the  Seven  Hills.  It  was  his 
fixed  intention,  she  declared,  to  send  word  to  Fenshawe 
as  soon  as  he  had  ascertained,  beyond  range  of  doubt, 
that  the  Sheban  loot  was  really  buried  there. 

Dick  and  his  wife  passed  a  fortnight  at  Cairo  on 
their  voyage  home.  They  chanced  to  admire  some  old 
praying  carpets  in  a  shop  in  the  bazaar,  and  asked  the 
price.  They  offered  half  the  sum  named,  and  the 
attendant,  a  slim  youth,  said  he  would  consult  his 
father. 

A  tall,  stoutly-built  Arab  came  from  a  dark  inner 
apartment.  His  regular,  somewhat  grave,  features  at 
once  expanded  into  a  delighted  smile. 

"  By  the  Prophet ! "  he  exclaimed  in  excellent  French, 
"  I  am  overjoyed  at  seeing  you,  Monsieur  et  Madame. 
You  will  drink  coffee  with  me,  is  it  not?  And,  as  for 
the  rugs,  take  them.  They  are  yours.  I  set  up  a  shop 
with  the  money  Monsieur  Fenshawe  gave  me,  and  I 
am  prosperous.  Que  diable!  That  was  a  lucky  jour- 
ney for  me  when  we  all  went  south  together.  I  have 
left  the  desert  now.  Behold!  I  am  a  good  citizen, 
and  pay  taxes." 

Irene  laughed.  She  had  never  pictured  Abdullah 
348 


The  Finding  of  the  Treasure 

the  Spear-thrower  as  a  shop-keeper,  and  waxing  fat 
withal. 

"You,  at  any  rate,  found  treasure  at  the  Well  of 
Moses,"  she  cried. 

Abdullah  glanced  at  her  happy,  smiling  face.  He 
turned  to  Royson,  and  bowed,  with  something  of  his 
former  grace. 

"Let  me  congratulate  you,  Monsieur,  on  your  far 
greater  fortune,"  he  said. 

THE   END 


349 


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